<P> Through all entities in its public--private system, the US spends more per capita than any other nation in the world, but is the only wealthy industrialized country in the world that lacks some form of universal healthcare . In March 2010, the US Congress passed regulatory reform of the American health insurance system . However, since this legislation is not fundamental healthcare reform, it is unclear what its effect will be and as the new legislation is implemented in stages, with the last provision in effect in 2018, it will be some years before any empirical evaluation of the full effects on the comparison could be determined . </P> <P> Healthcare costs in both countries are rising faster than inflation . As both countries consider changes to their systems, there is debate over whether resources should be added to the public or private sector . Although Canadians and Americans have each looked to the other for ways to improve their respective health care systems, there exists a substantial amount of conflicting information regarding the relative merits of the two systems . In the U.S., Canada's mostly monopsonistic health system is seen by different sides of the ideological spectrum as either a model to be followed or avoided . </P> <P> Some of the extra money spent in the United States goes to physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals . According to health data collected by the OECD, average income for physicians in the United States in 1996 was nearly twice that for physicians in Canada . In 2012, the gross average salary for doctors in Canada was CDN $328,000 . Out of the gross amount, doctors pay for taxes, rent, staff salaries and equipment . When comparing average incomes of doctors in Canada and U.S., it should be kept in mind that malpractice insurance premiums may differ significantly between Canada and the U.S., and the proportion of doctors who are specialists differs . In Canada, less than half of doctors are specialists whereas more than 70% of doctors are specialists in the U.S. </P> <P> Canada has fewer doctors per capita than the United States . In the U.S, there were 2.4 doctors per 1,000 people in 2005; in Canada, there were 2.2 . Some doctors leave Canada to pursue career goals or higher pay in the U.S., though significant numbers of physicians from countries such as China, India, Pakistan and South Africa immigrate to practice in Canada . Many Canadian physicians and new medical graduates also go to the U.S. for post-graduate training in medical residencies . As it is a much larger market, new and cutting - edge sub-specialties are more widely available in the U.S. as opposed to Canada . However, statistics published in 2005 by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), show that, for the first time since 1969 (the period for which data are available), more physicians returned to Canada than moved abroad . </P>

Why is life expectancy higher in canada than us