<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> <P> Both Canada and the United States have limited programs to provide prescription drugs to the needy . In the U.S., the introduction of Medicare Part D has extended partial coverage for pharmaceuticals to Medicare beneficiaries . In Canada all drugs given in hospitals fall under Medicare, but other prescriptions do not . The provinces all have some programs to help the poor and seniors have access to drugs, but while there have been calls to create one, no national program exists . About two thirds of Canadians have private prescription drug coverage, mostly through their employers . In both countries, there is a significant population not fully covered by these programs . A 2005 study found that 20% of Canada's and 40% of America's sicker adults did not fill a prescription because of cost . </P> <P> Furthermore, the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey indicates that 4% of Canadians indicated that they did not visit a doctor because of cost compared with 22% of Americans . Additionally, 21% of Americans have said that they did not fill a prescription for medicine or have skipped doses due to cost . That is compared with 10% of Canadians . </P>

Comparing the u.s. and canadian health care systems