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NHS is largely monopolistic as well. Still costs £0 upfront to see a doc in the NHS. And, yes, you can get a same day appointment. Oh, another good thing about having public healthcare and private healthcare at the same time, the public healthcare forces private to seriously reduce their costs. Private health insurance in the UK is substantially less than private insurance here.
NHS is monopolistic in that you don't have choices, but they can't set any price they want. American hospitals can. Insurance is a function of cost, it is a financial product. Insurance in Canada is cheaper than here too, but they only payout $100K - American insurance policies don't have a limit on payouts.
You do wait to see a GP in the NHS system. You used to be guaranteed access within 2 days, but they scrapped that.
Most of the European countries use a clinic based model. America uses a hospital
based model. Depending where you live you won't have a choice but to use a
hospital for even small medical issues. Canada also uses a clinic based model
This is true. I have five or six clinics within walking distance, where I can be seen by a GP.
NHS is monopolistic in that you don't have choices, but they can't set any price they want. American hospitals can. Insurance is a function of cost, it is a financial product. Insurance in Canada is cheaper than here too, but they only payout $100K - American insurance policies don't have a limit on payouts.
You do wait to see a GP in the NHS system. You used to be guaranteed access within 2 days, but they scrapped that.
My fiancee's GP sees her within 102 weeks. My GP sees me in the same time frame.
You do have choices in the NHS, by the way. You are not geographically isolated to one trust because you happen to live in a particular area, unlike our school districts here. You can go see a doctor in another trust if you want to, and still pay nothing upfront
So, in other words, it definitely ain't RN salaries that bump up the costs here. Australia is the same way, they have a very generous benefits package for RNs (Queensland nurses can get up to 8 weeks paid vacation at half pay or 4 weeks at full pay, New South Wales has similar provisions) and higher salaries than the US. Australia still spends much less on healthcare per capita than the US.
Read my post #352. Provider incomes are not the root cause of the healthcare costs in this country.
How much does it cost to see a Dr. at a private clinic?
The doctors are all running private clinics per se. They do not work for the government. They submit all bills to the Provincial Insurance.
I routinely (3 times per year) visit a group of doctors who have their offices three blocks from my house with no costs to me whatsoever.
I'm lucky in that at age 67 I have no major health isssues.
I have a routine full check up with bloodwork ordered to monitor my cholesterol and the normal tests for prostate, colon cancers etc.,, a follow-up visit to discuss results of the bloodwork and any other tests that were ordered to address any other concerns, then a final visit in the fall to verify and acquire my 6 months worth of med prescriptions for 20 mg Lipitor and Nasonex sprays for my 6 months out of country winter stay in Florida.
I haven't and don't pay a dime for any doctor visit ~ ever.
Should whatever tests ordered show some abnormality I'd get an immediate call with appointment scheduled, dependant on the serious nature of the issue, either immediate or within days at a maximum and a referral to the specialist required.
My wife had a thyroid problem in the mid 90's and our GP thought it was serious enough he scheduled an appointment with an oncologist who saw her later in the week and she scheduled her for the "radioactive pill" the following day due to her manifesting some of the early symptoms of "graves disease". She is now required to take a daily pill to replace the thyroid function. No bill.
In the past for things like a blown knee ligament; from the injury to the completed arthoscopic procedure was a two day affair. Again, no bill.
The one time back in 1990 I was hospitalized for suspected cardiac arrhythmia, I went through a battery of tests all ordered and completed within 24 hours but the cardiac specialist suggested I remain in hospital for a period of 3 days hooked to a monitor that showed no abnormalities and followed that with a stress test after discharge. Again no bill.
The doctors are all running private clinics per se. They do not work for the government. They submit all bills to the Provincial Insurance.
I routinely (3 times per year) visit a group of doctors who have their offices three blocks from my house with no costs to me whatsoever.
I'm lucky in that at age 67 I have no major health isssues.
I have a routine full check up with bloodwork ordered to monitor my cholesterol and the normal tests for prostate, colon cancers etc.,, a follow-up visit to discuss results of the bloodwork and any other tests that were ordered to address any other concerns, then a final visit in the fall to verify and acquire my 6 months worth of med prescriptions for 20 mg Lipitor and Nasonex sprays for my 6 months out of country winter stay in Florida.
I haven't and don't pay a dime for any doctor visit ~ ever.
Should whatever tests ordered show some abnormality I'd get an immediate call with appointment scheduled, dependant on the serious nature of the issue, either immediate or within days at a maximum and a referral to the specialist required.
My wife had a thyroid problem in the mid 90's and our GP thought it was serious enough he scheduled an appointment with an oncologist who saw her later in the week and she scheduled her for the "radioactive pill" the following day due to her manifesting some of the early symptoms of "graves disease". She is now required to take a daily pill to replace the thyroid function. No bill.
In the past for things like a blown knee ligament; from the injury to the completed arthoscopic procedure was a two day affair. Again, no bill.
The one time back in 1990 I was hospitalized for suspected cardiac arrhythmia, I went through a battery of tests all ordered and completed within 24 hours but the cardiac specialist suggested I remain in hospital for a period of 3 days hooked to a monitor that showed no abnormalities and followed that with a stress test after discharge. Again no bill.
Right, but I'm talking about the private clinics - the clinics that you pay for privately. It's $80-$100 for a clinic visit in Chicago. I know the Canada MRI clinics charge $895-$2400, but I don't know what the cost to see a clinic Dr. is.
My fiancee's GP sees her within 102 weeks. My GP sees me in the same time frame.
You do have choices in the NHS, by the way. You are not geographically isolated to one trust because you happen to live in a particular area, unlike our school districts here. You can go see a doctor in another trust if you want to, and still pay nothing upfront
Yeah right....Lacking a national health care system of their own, thousands of Americans are tapping into Canada's -- illegally.
A report prepared for Ontario's Health Minister indicated that from August 1992 to February 1993, 60,000 medical claims had been made on behalf of patients who held American drivers' licenses. The total number of improper claims in Ontario was estimated at 600,000. Americans Filching Free Health Care in Canada - New York Times This thievery continues today....
"Only legal residents qualify for free medical care in Canada, using plastic health cards for identification. Others are supposed to pay for medical services they may require, but many are submitting counterfeit, borrowed or fradulently obtained cards."
So let's see...a government-run system ripe with fraud and abuse?
Wow, who saw that coming?
FTR, 1993?
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Didn't even notice that until now
