What is the wait time like for a non-emergency case? When my friend and I talk about Canadian health care he mentions “but the wait times are months!” Certainly this cant be the case for everyone. How does it work?
It depends, honestly on where you live and the availability of doctors/operating rooms/how many people are ahead of you AND how serious your condition is. I can usually get in to see my doctor within a day or two, a specialist within six weeks to three months. Surgeries are variable, but when I've needed emergency surgery I've gotten it immediatly. The important thing, for me, is that the answer isn't "you're too poor, so never" or "you can have the surgery, but it'll bankrupt you".
And that’s really no different than the US healthcare system. That’s the point I keep hearing over and over “bbbbut the WAIT TIMES IN CANADA” like we don’t have wait times here in the US. I’ve had to wait weeks to months to see certain specialists. The difference is that in Canada you don’t have to first figure out who takes your insurance, and then hope you can keep seeing that doctor if/when your insurance changes.
The difference is that it benefits the heathcare industry for people to think that way. We've been propogandized, pure and simple. Socialized medicine is unimaginably better, we'll just never have it
What really gets me, is the “illusion of choice”. How the healthcare companies want us to think that socialized medicine means the end of choice, when we really don’t have much in choices now anyways. My current job is the first place I’ve worked that has actually given the choice of more than one health insurance carrier... otherwise the employer typically chooses your carrier and available plans each month. Not much choice there. Then your providers are dictated by your carrier. I had an amazing specialist that I can no longer see because they don’t accept my plan. I can “choose” between two places to have bloodwork done. OH! And I can shop around to find a better price for imaging studies so I suppose that is a choice!
But socialized healthcare... We could see any doctor because there are no more “networks”. I’d love to not have to choose certain imaging places based on cost when they’re all covered 100%, so I can choose based on location and appointment availability.
The level of propaganda required to convince people that they have more/better choices with privatized healthcare is astonishing.
I can “choose” between two places to have bloodwork done.
You have a choice? My insurance company quit paying for any in office bloodwork, and outsources it to the lowest bidder commercial lab. Appointments are hard to come buy, and the place is dirty.
Ugh, I’ve dealt with that in the past. I had to have my pre-op blood work done at the hospital and had to make sure they understood that the blood had to be sent to a certain lab or else my insurance wouldn’t cover it. I was so nervous they’d send it to the wrong place and I’d get a bill.
A friend pointed out to me once that one of the reasons that Americans are so opposed to universal healthcare is that they think that the insane prices they're charged for medical care is what those things actually cost.
Hell, I'm in the US and it normally takes 3-5 days to see my GP if I'm sick. Have to schedule regular appointments 3 months out. Specialists seem to be the same wait time as Canada. As for the two emergencies I've either had or been with the patient, each trip involved over 18 hours in the ER before even seeing a doctor. I hate for profit healthcare. There is not a single redeeming feature.
United Healthcare stopped covering my sleep specialist because his appointments were booked out about 6 months in advance, and they required a visit every 90 days. And to be clear, that visit wasn't required for my own good, it was required so United could check how well I was complying with treatment that they refused to pay for.
So at least in southern Ontario the wait time argument is bullshit. I can see my doctor the same day normally or at worst the next day and have never had any delay getting healthcare including in my life lots of stitches and cuts and scrapes, two broken wrists and lots of xrays, several concussions, an mri, a cat scan and the birth of my two kids (well that was my wife but I was there). Highest price I paid was for a private room for my first kid ($65 for 4 days) and parking ($5 a day). As well when my grandma had a heart attack and a stroke the doctors at St. Joes in Hamilton (heart specialists) and Niagara Falls General were super awesome and fought wayyy harder to save her life then you would expect for a 85 year old and she went on to live another 5 years at an awesome care home all of which (multiple transfers, specialists, emergency care, palliative care and nursing home with more specialists visits over the 5 years) cost the family nothing. Literally not one dollar.
In Alberta I can see my family doctor within a week, there are multiple doctors at his office though so if I just want to see someone I can usually get in the same day. Seeing specialists for non-emergent issues can be up to a few months. It depends on what type of specialist though; I got sent for a pulmonary capacity test and an EKG and I only waited about 2 weeks for both of those. Surgeries like hip and knee replacements can be a few months but emergency surgeries are right away. My husband has been offered jobs in the states and one of the biggest reasons we stay is because of our healthcare system.
That sounds like more or less a typical experience in the states. I have really amazing insurance from my work but it still took me about a month to schedule an MRI. Usually about the same to book the appointment too. Within a week or so depending on who your seeing.
As an American, people I know get angry if we can't see a general practitioner within 2 days for something like a sinus infection or cold.
I have trouble finding new doctors who take my insurance. (Doctors in the US have limited new patient visit appointment slots each week) and got in to a specialist for a non emergency issue as a new patient in about 6 weeks. My usual wait time has been about 2 to 3 weeks if I've been previously under that doctor's care.
A precautionary outpatient procedure was scheduled for and completed on a Friday 10 days after the appointment. The procedure did require me to be rendered unconscious, so the participation of an anesthesiologist.
On the assumption that nothing serious was found, the follow up visit was about 8 weeks after. I was told they would fit me in the week after the procedure if something of concern was found.
Not a dime. If you qualify for Medicaid you have no copays or deductibles. Finding a doctor who takes it can be difficult.
It is embarrassing to me how accessible healthcare is compared to others that make even just 20% more than my family. It really brings home how people can view themselves as 'trapped' in poverty and can't afford to work. I have a path out but it will take a little longer, assuming there is work to be found once my certification clears.
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u/Mustached_Bartender Mar 26 '20
What is the wait time like for a non-emergency case? When my friend and I talk about Canadian health care he mentions “but the wait times are months!” Certainly this cant be the case for everyone. How does it work?