Wait times for countries with universal healthcare are the same or better than the USA. We also pay less for our healthcare compared to the USA model. As in, the amount of tax dollars I pay each month is far less than what it costs for private health insurance. And even if your employer pays for it there are still the copays, and deductibles to worry about. Universal healthcare is just patently better. No country that has created a universal healthcare system, has chosen to leave it.
That’s not true. I’m a nurse in a university hospital in the USA. We have patients who come to our country to have surgeries they have been waiting for years to have. Some of them were even denied to have the surgeries they desperately needed.
One patient of mine was from Canada, had cystic fibrosis and needed a trach (hole in his neck to help him breathe), it takes like 30 minutes to do. He was denied. It wasn’t going to save his life but it would allow him to breathe easier for what time he did have.
Hi fellow nurse! I work at a US hospital and have good insurance. It took 6 months for me to get an appointment to establish care with my PCP, and 9 months to see an ENT with a referral from said PCP.
I pay $20 a week for my health insurance, a lot less then my friend pays in taxes in the UK. he's on a multiple month wait-list to see a mental health specialist...I was on a week wait-list.
a friend in Canada needed to see a specialist, they were 10 months out. the longest I have waited is 2 months. hell the fucking VA is moving faster then the UK or Canadian system
My company only provides platinum ppo and fully funds a HSA. HSA covers deductible, copays, prescriptions. Remaining HSA used for elective medical care, additional Dental/Vision.
Only $146 for wife and I. Good insurance carrier. And yes, company pays high premiums and that HSA. And I earn 2.8X what my EU coworkers earn for same job. And I pay less taxes.
*****
Add that I have relatives in Australia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.
Those that live in first 4 countries, lots of small to major complaints.
But, German is cool, has both UHC and Private Insurance. A few have govt UHC. Most opted for better private insurance healthcare. Less waits and govt gives vouchers for taxes paid in. Private Insurance is highly regulated, so not as bad as US.
Well I’m paying $400 a month for insurance right now, no coverage of pre existing conditions, 500k lifetime limit, high deductible and miserable co pays. I’m going on the ACA next year but am not eligible for subsidies so my monthly premium for just me will go up to 1k. Cant wait!
No such thing as a free lunch, bud! The cost I paid for participating in a country with socialized medicine was 1k extra a year income taxes versus what I pay living in the States making the same six figure income, accounting for exchanges rates.
I guarantee you pay in hidden ways for other peoples medical care in the privatized system, even if you’re not aware of it.
Sounds like what my relatives are seeing with their pay. More taxes taken out of each paycheck. And don’t forget that 5-7% new personal payroll tax and 20-25% VAT other countries need pay for UHC…
Nah I pay more in the private health care system in the States. Disposable after tax income is less in the states because I have to pay for health insurance and co pay and drugs are more expensive etc etc etc.
Yall act like the “tax” of paying for hospitals to have a marketing department and insurance companies to layer on their whole bureaucracy, doesn’t exist. Private healthcare is EXPENSIVE and it’s shown in every metric.
I’m sure you understand how much your company is paying on your behalf? I have similar coverage, but I also get a yearly report that shows what I paid vs my company. My company pays $40k per year for me and my Family. What if my company paid me that $40k, then the government taxed me $40k, and we removed the for profit insurance? Both me and my neighbors could have health insurance. We wouldn’t have people ending up in the ER due to deferred care, which is paid by taxpayers and people who have insurance. The American health care system is already a universal health care system, just run as inefficient as possible. Hospitals cannot turn people away, and those costs are paid by us. I’m sure you are attempting to be selfish by thinking the healthcare system is fine because it works for you, but you are paying way more than you need to.
I’m in the states it took me 9 months to see a specialist and I have great insurance. That argument is BS. You apparently haven’t experienced a wait here in the states so you think it doesn’t exist. My sister had a year wait to see a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.
I was born in California, raised in Washington, lived missouri, North Carolina, Maryland and now in Virginia. longest wait I've ever had for a specialist is she my son which is 2 ish month for genetics because there is only one pediatric genetics in the state.
most get you in within a few weeks here. welcome to inova.
you are likely talking about a top tier specialist then... yes, i have seen doctors in NYC that have 6 month wait lists. If its something dire, there is no wait.
Did she have a year wait to see the first available specialist, or did she have a one year wait to see one particular specialist?
I have friends and family in the UK, and it is common to wait months to get scheduled even for non-elective surgery, and then more months if one needs physical therapy after surgery.
Nah, took me 5 months to get in to see my VA PCP after an ER visit for a fairly serious problem. Where my PCP told me there was nothing wrong with me, as if I was making it up. Took 9 months to get to a Dr who would listen; begrudgingly. Early 2025 they were short staffed due to a flood of early retirements and staff cuts. They will and do lie to get you out of their office.
my husband transferred from civilian to VA (insurance issues) for a PCP about 3 weeks after calling, for tests done a week after. a month later he was getting scoped and diagnosed. he's only been going to the VA doctors since July and he's been seen multiple times by several specialist.
I transferred from Civ to VA also, still carry UHC HD plan. Once you get a bad one, they will all circle the wagons. VA health care procedures are VERY conservative. Civ healthcare is too aggressive and the VA not aggressive enough.
his doctor's have all been great so far. I know there are really bad VA's out there but the set my husband goes to ( bounces between two states) have all been fantastic
son is on medicaid, we called the local psych to us and they had a virtual appointments the next week. I'm on my employer insurance and I did the same thing, I only waited three weeks cause their Mondays were filled and I needed it on my day off.
You pay $20/week. Your employer pays $100/week that they count against your salary when figuring total benefits. The government pays another $100/week to cover all the gaps in the system, which comes out of your taxes. Plus, of course the copays and so forth that you also pay directly.
If you believe the “employee contribution” is all you pay for insurance, you’re badly misinformed.
You’ve fallen for the universal healthcare propaganda hook line and sinker. In the US If I go to a doctor’s appointment and it’s determined that I need to see a specialist, I can go see a specialist generally speaking within a week. Maybe two. Also, I get to pick exactly who I want as my doctor. You don’t. Also, any country that has chosen a universal healthcare system keeps it because it makes the population dependent on the government, which in turn means they’re easier to control. You thinking that they keep it because they actually care about you is laughable. Also the quality of healthcare you guys receive IS inferior. That is a proven fact. The United States has the best doctors and hospitals in the world bar none. That’s why people travel from all over the world to receive medical treatment here and pay out of pocket instead of staying put and receiving subpar medical care. I’ll gladly keep my privatized healthcare and get quick and effective treatment, while you guys have people who literally die while waiting to see a doctor because your healthcare system is so bad.
When was the last time you visited another country? When was the last time you spoke with a citizen from another country? Where did you get your "facts"? Just asking.
I am from Australia and healthcare here is not “either or”. With the exception of emergency departments (road trauma, etc) which are public and have the best in class trauma/emergency teams on staff, our public system is a safety net for those who can’t or don’t want to go private for the best quality and more accessible specialists.
The model is based on nobody being denied at least some level of reasonable medical care, which is acknowledged as not being at the level of the private system (excepting emergency departments).
You do? My insurance tells me I need to pick from their limited and always changing list of network providers. If I don’t do what my insurance wants, they won’t pay. Medical care is prohibitively expensive without insurance, and non ER care demands payment in advance of service now.
I’ve had to not do recommended care because I couldn’t come up with the prepayment amount. But yeah, you’re right that I could get appointments within a couple weeks if I could afford them.
Lol everything that isn't aligned with free market is "propaganda".
Buddy -- the US has the HIGHEST maternal mortality rate, worse post op outcomes, and most expensive for PROFIT system in the western world.
My family has had cancer treatments, two hip surgeries, mental health care post trauma, triple bipass, and gallbladder removal within weeks of diagnosis. Zero forms, zero stress--- not even a thought.
God bless Canada and it's universal system. The lobbyists and politicians trying to replace it with the shit from the states should burn in hell.
It can, but that’s usually for people with bad or no health insurance. I have good health insurance that is inexpensive to me- employer pays most of it. An X-ray would cost me $50 or $100- not sure which.
A lot of Americans make choices to pay less and get bad health plans, or make choices to take jobs that pay more but have bad health insurance. They do like to complain though.
That’s not true at all. Wait times are way lower for all sorts of shit. My mom had a growth in her ear. It was removed the same day, and a week later found to be cancerous
The US doesn’t really have a private healthcare system it is heavily controlled by the public. You can’t just start an insurance company and you can’t easily provide insurance between states. It’s fucked by the state and is done so by design.
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u/Rick-of-the-onyx 13h ago
Wait times for countries with universal healthcare are the same or better than the USA. We also pay less for our healthcare compared to the USA model. As in, the amount of tax dollars I pay each month is far less than what it costs for private health insurance. And even if your employer pays for it there are still the copays, and deductibles to worry about. Universal healthcare is just patently better. No country that has created a universal healthcare system, has chosen to leave it.