freedomdwarf1
Posts: 6845
Joined: 10/23/2012 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: kkaliforniaa I talked with someone from the United Kingdom, in order to see a specialist, it could take more than a year for an available appointment! Not usually the case. True, there are some people who have the misfortune of getting lost in the paper chase, but most people are usually seen within a few weeks. I believe the current "target" waiting time is 18 weeks and most of the country seem to be better than 90% on hitting those targets. The Mrs, from initial diagnosis/referral to having the special brain scan at a major London hospital AND getting the results back to her GP was about 3 weeks. I don't know who you spoke with but they must have been one of the unlucky ones. Most of the people I meet in my surgery complain of waiting a month for a specialist appointment and my brother (who suffers a form of CJD) rarely waits more than 4-5 weeks for his specialist appointments and he lives on the opposite side of the country. quote:
ORIGINAL: kkaliforniaa This is what happens with "free" healthcare. Bit of a sweeping brush statement that I and my relatives do not find to be true. Sort of like "I knew someone once who...." and extrapolate that to include the whole populace. quote:
ORIGINAL: kkaliforniaa Although it still isn't really free, on one hand it comes out of your pocket along with everything else that goes with taxes, on the other hand, it's insurance and you know full well the cost of it. True, it's not "free", as everyone knows it isn't. But it's not insurance either - that is something extra you can buy if you want it. Insurance coverage has limitations, get-out clauses, pre-condition exclusions, claim maximums, deductables.... yada yada yada; and it's expensive. Our 'free' national health coverage has none of the conditions imposed by any insurance companies. It is indeed absolutely free for anyone on a low income, receives benefits or pensions, or is under 18 - it doesn't cost them a single red cent for any treatment or prescriptions. We generally don't pay for any ambulances either. Had an accident or having a child?? You go into hospital, get your treatment any time 24/7, doesn't matter how long you're in there for or how many specialists or operations you need or nursing staff to look after you or drugs for your condition, come out when you're recovered, transport to/from the hospital..... doesn't cost Joe Average a bean - it's all free, as in, it doesn't cost a red cent out of your pocket; before, during, or afterwards. For those that work above the minimum wage limits, it costs about 8.6% of income as N.I payments - there's no way you could get any sort of comprehensive (or even very basic) health insurance for that sort of money. quote:
ORIGINAL: kkaliforniaa I think the way the system is right now is probably better, at least for those who don't want to wait a year to see a specialist [whether it be a cardiologist, orthopedic surgeon, etc] Seeing a specialist for whatever condition is really no different to seeing your GP or going to your local ER. It seems you have been mis-informed.
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“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” George Orwell, 1903-1950
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