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One doctor visit compared: cost and waiting in Canada, the US and China

Canada costs time, the US costs money, China is fast but involves out-of-pocket payment. Official figures from CIHI, UnitedHealth and Chinese authorities side by side.

Updated 2026-10-13

What each system costs you

In short: in Canada you generally pay nothing at the point of care and the cost is waiting. In the US the main problem is price. In China care is quick to reach, but patients pay up front and cover part of the bill. The figures below come from official sources with different years and definitions, so they allow only a rough comparison.

Canada: no bill, but a wait

Residents with MSP do not pay at the point of care for doctor visits, emergency care or hospital stays. The cost is time. CIHI's 2024-25 data show that about half of emergency patients nationally waited almost 2 hours to see a doctor, and one in ten waited 6 hours or more.[1] In Fraser Institute's survey, the median wait in BC from referral to specialist treatment is 32 weeks.[2]

The money is not saved; it is paid through taxes. Fraser Institute estimates that a family of two adults and two children pays about $19,000 a year in taxes toward public health care. This is an estimate based on assumptions, not a bill.[3]

United States: cost is the main problem

UnitedHealth used 2018 data to price 10 conditions that could have been treated in a clinic. An emergency room visit averaged US$2,032, urgent care US$193 and a clinic US$167.[4] In 2025, 8.3% of Americans, about 28 million people, still had no health insurance.[5]

China: fast access, higher out-of-pocket share

According to China's 2025 national health statistics bulletin, the average cost per hospital outpatient visit was 357.7 yuan and per inpatient stay 9,768.9 yuan.[6] Basic medical insurance covers 1.331 billion people, a participation rate of about 95%.[7] Seeing a specialist does not require a referral, and same-day tests are common, but large hospitals are crowded. Out-of-pocket spending makes up 27.1% of total health expenditure.[6]

Side by side

Canada (BC)United StatesChina
Payment at the time of careGenerally none with MSPHigh; depends on insurancePaid up front; insurance reimburses part
Main costWaiting timePriceCrowding and out-of-pocket share
Key figuresAbout half of ER patients wait nearly 2 hours; specialist median 32 weeksAvoidable ER visit averages US$2,032 (2018 data)Outpatient visit 357.7 yuan; out-of-pocket 27.1%
CoverageUniversal, run by provinces8.3% uninsuredAbout 95% enrolled
The figures come from different organizations and years and are not defined the same way. Check each source for details.

Be clear about what is being compared

Canada saves the cost at the point of care and spends time instead. The US spends money. China is quick but involves queuing for registration and paying part of the cost first. For Chinese-speaking residents in Greater Vancouver, pharmacies and UPCCs can handle minor problems. People with chronic conditions, or who plan to seek care in China, can collect their BC records and test results before travelling; some records can be downloaded from Health Gateway.

Sources