To the editor:

As the deliberations on health care reform continue, please consider the following -- there is not one Canadian health care plan, there are 12 -- one for each of the 10 provinces and two territories.

My wife, our six sons and I lived in Manitoba for 19 years from 1975-1994. Our health care was excellent.

We always had our choice of doctors, hospitals and we never experienced waiting times for appointments or procedures. We paid for this through taxes, but our taxes for this were less than what we pay here for our "Cadillac" plan, but better -- no co-pay, no deductibles and everyone was covered. How?

Drug costs are much less, although most of their drugs come from the U.S.A., because of government caps. Doctors are paid less, but are still well paid. Administration costs are less. There are government caps on doctor's malpractice suit awards, resulting in lower doctor's malpractice insurance -- much needed and humane, resulting in further savings.

Canadian taxes, which pay for their health care, are like ours -- graduated -- less taxes for those making the least, most taxes for those making the most, with the same health care for everyone.

Something to consider -- because businesses, large and small, don't have to pay for health insurance for employees, they can and do pay higher wages and salaries for comparative jobs in the U.S.A., which more than makes up for their taxes for health care.

Do we have universal or socialized health care? My wife and I do -- it's Medicare and it's wonderful.

Is it free? No. With our Medicare fees, supplemental insurance and part "D" drug plans, we pay about $500 per month, which covers everything, including disasters.

If we were under the age of 65, this would cost us $2,000 a month or more and we couldn't come close to affording it. What about our six sons and their families? What about the millions of other people, under the age of 65?

Please check out why Manitoba can offer excellent health care, much more economically than ours, and ignore the scare tactics in media ads, by the AMA, pharmaceutical firms and private insurance companies, for their continued profits, not for the public good.

Robert E. Schonberger

Ray