Last year, Canadians waited a median of almost 20 weeks to receive specialist treatment after being referred by a general practitioner, according to a new report from The Fraser Institute. In practical terms, that's the equivalent of getting a referral this week and waiting until May for treatment.
Such waits are endemic to government-run healthcare systems.
Canada's single-payer system, which prohibits private insurance for medically necessary procedures, is a prime example of the pitfalls of total government control. Twenty weeks of waiting is bad enough. But some areas in Canada fare even worse. The median wait for treatment from a specialist following referral from a GP in New Brunswick is nearly a year.
The story is much the same in the United Kingdom's government-run healthcare system. As of September, more than 4 million people were waiting for routine treatments. That's a drastic increase from 2011, when 2.6 million patients were waiting.
These wait times are exacerbated by the nation's shortage of qualified medical personnel.
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Dumb and dumber.
ReplyDeleteLets see... waiting for a few months, or financial ruin.
ReplyDeleteWhich one will you choose?
"...These wait times are exacerbated by the nation's shortage of qualified medical personnel."
ReplyDeleteAnd why is this? It's because the government decides how much doctors will be paid and you can be sure it's not very much. There is no incentive for young people to spend years in college, medical school, internship and be paid what the government decides.
Canaduh also doesn't have the population we have..330+ MILLION. Believe the waiting time would be longer her in the U S A!
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to dying because youre poor?
ReplyDeleteSo if you need to see a heart specialist and have to wait 4 months to a year to see him, you are suppose to just lay in bed and pray your heart does not give out on you?
DeleteWaiting to die
ReplyDeleteComing to a town near you
Thank you democrats
ReplyDeleteFor comparison, Associate Justice RGB broke ribs before Thanksgiving and received treatment for the cancer uncovered before Christmas. In Canada, according to the article, 4 months would get her seen by the specialist just before Easter 2019, which is April 21. Only then would the procedure be scheduled.
Perhaps Canada's lower population can be partially explained by mortality during the wait for a specialist appointment?
What is Canadian vs. USA life expectancy?
ReplyDelete