You don't have to. I've used it for the birthing of babies. On a lonely dark November night it saved my 5 year old boy from epiglottis 23 years ago. And it paid for the birth of his daughter last year. It helped my daughter with her broken arm when she was small and it removed her wisdom teeth as an adult. It also paid for her three children's births and her husband's recovery last year after he was in a bad car accident.
It looked after my sick mother for over 10 years,and as she was dying she got the best care , the best. . It cured my father of bowel cancer when he was in his sixties, and prostrate cancer when he was in his seventies. Last September it removed cataracts from his right eye, two weeks ago from his left and now he can drive again. I've seen it replace a knee of my friend, provide kidney dialysis for my wife's uncle 3 times a week and next week will replace the right hip of an old lady that suffers from arthritis bad enough she can't walk on her own. Her first consultation was Dec. 16th.
It's not perfect , we're stuck with it and I can speak only for Ontario. Employers pay a 1.9% payroll tax to pay for it and when the Liberal and NDP governments where in it declined in both quality and quantity. Our current provincial Conservative government is doing it's best. Be critical but be honest about it. It's not perfect , it never will be. But who's is?
I don't think the conservative movement has been very good with giving the true facts regarding the Canadian health system. Their view is to stop any attempt to socialize at any cost.......and sometimes facts be damned.
Honestly though, I'm finding that the PPO and HMO programs here in the states are really no different and in some cases worse than what we hear about you folks. The PPO and HMO providers are now denying things clearly covered by the contracts. Gotta fight for what they owe you.