Surgery VS Ransom

[wolf]

I think the horror of the our private payer system vs. your govt funded system is that it would be unthinkable here to have to wait 13 days for a lifesaving procedure done on an outpatient basis.

Regardless of insurance coverage, incidentally.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by wolf

I think the horror of the our private payer system vs. your govt funded system is that it would be unthinkable here to have to wait 13 days for a lifesaving procedure done on an outpatient basis.

Regardless of insurance coverage, incidentally.

Even if the patient was stable and monitored? If Dad had needed immediate surgery he would have received it immediately. As it was, patients who already had scheduled operations took priority as he was considered safe.

I'm not asking this because I am trying to defend our system (which I have always admitted has faults) just to clarify.

I know in many countries in Europe he would have had his operation sooner because they have smaller waiting lists, as well as (effectively) free of charge. If he was unable to pay in the US (retired, fairly low pension) would he still have received immediate treatment if he was on a cardio ward?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

If he was unable to pay in the US (retired, fairly low pension) would he still have received immediate treatment if he was on a cardio ward?

The answer is yes, we have medicad and medicare. It will cover those costs, at a loss to the hospital I will say, but it will cover them. The problem here for people not receiving care is not among the poor but among the working poor and lower middle class who are under insured. I still say the answer is not a system like you have in the US or in Canada. These issues are not simplistic. You can not simply take a place the size of the US and apply solutions that apply to a country or economy the size of the UK. There are soooo many differences.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by wolf

I think the horror of the our private payer system vs. your govt funded system is that it would be unthinkable here to have to wait 13 days for a lifesaving procedure done on an outpatient basis.

Regardless of insurance coverage, incidentally.

On the other hand, the boss is scheduling cataract surgery 6 months out. Not life saving, though.