Hey World, Tell Us About Your Healthcare

[YSSMAN]

Hello non-American GTP members. We seem to be in the middle of a pickle here in the US as to how to address the issues with our healthcare system. One of the talking points used by both sides of the argument deals with how people from outside the United States deal with their (usually) nationalized healthcare plans by comparison to others. Something we'd love to know, just out of curiosity, may include the following:

• What health care plan are you a part of?
• Do you know (roughly) how much you are paying for it (tax percentages, etc)
• What kind of coverage are you afforded? Or not?
• Are you able to choose your doctor? If not, what kind of process is there involved in seeing someone?
• What kind of process is involved in making treatment decisions? Is it done between you and your doctor, between you and your government insurance plan? Other?
• When treatment is needed, is there a long wait period before you are taken care of? Are there any other troublesome wait lists?
• Have you ever been denied care or coverage for anything?
• Do you know of any "horror stories" that personally happened to you, or someone you know?

If you have anything else to share, it would be greatly appreciated. I find its better to hear from the people who have it than what our politicians and other political leaders like to talk about.

 

[Joel]

Well, I am from Canada, and I'm 14 so I don't know all of the specifics of the taxes, and plans etc.

As most people know, we have Government funded health care, and in my opinion, it works very well. (There are still some people who like to complain about it).

We get virtually any coverage we need. If i recall correctly, the only thing we don't have to pay for is "special" doctors, eg. chiropractors.

We are allowed to choose our own doctor, and in the case of my town, we aren't big enough for a hospital. but we have a small health centre with 4 doctors offices, and a lab for blood tests etc. If you need to see a doctor, it is preferred if you call ahead and arrange for an appointment, but you can just walk in. You then wait until your turn, then you see the doctor. If you need a prescription, he or she will fill out a paper, then you give it to a pharmacist. If the health centre is closed, there is a walk in clinic in a neighbouring town which follows a similar pattern, minus the call ahead. Usually the wait time at the clinic is between 10-30 minutes, but it can be longer. The longest i've ever had to wait was around 40 minutes. If both the clinic and the health centre are closed, you go to the hospital, and the hospital can be a real hit or miss. At the hospital , care is done in order of who needs it the most, not first come first serve. This system works well, but if you only have a minor ailment, such as an ear infection, you can end up waiting for a long time, and this is troublesome for families with small children. Of course, if you have a life threatening injury, you are given care immediately, and if you have a life threatening illness, you are usually airlifted to a hospital in a bigger city.

I have never been denied care, but to be honest i've never been really sick before.

My Brother once had a mole on his eye, and it had changed colour and size somewhat quickly. The eye specialist (not optometrist) decided to set him up to have it removed, just in case the mole was cancerous. When we went to the hospital on the day of his operation, we were there for around 4 hours. We were brought to a room within 15 minutes, and within the hour, he was in the operating room. The operation took about an hour, and after a short while in the recovery room, we were ok to leave.


The only "horror story" I know of is a person i know wanted a knee replacement, but he would have to wait about 11 months for it. He was whining and complaining, and all I could think was "man, you aren't even paying for it, and you don't "need" it, you just want to play golf without a bit of knee pain".

I think our system is very good, but not perfect. I wish there were private health care options so you could jump the waiting list for an operation.




EDIT Almost a year after writing this: Yeah... our system works ....pretty well for the most part, I guess. I want private free market health care here, but I really doubt that's gonna happen in Canada. People are convinced that the government stealing from them to pay for somebody else is a good thing.

 

[Wenders]

In Australia we are covered my Medicare. Cost and cover is dependant on income.
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/

For me I pay something like 1.5% of my salary. It is paid as part of my tax each pay.

Jack pays nothing as he doesn't earn enough.

Medicare usually pays:

the full Schedule fee for GP services
85% of the Schedule fee for other out-of-hospital services
75% of the Schedule fee for in-hospital services
The Schedule fee is a fee for service set by the Australian Government and not what your doctor charges you. Majority of doctors do not charge the scheduled fee ao a co-payment is usually necessary and amount is dependant on the service provided and the type of doctor. I pay around $20 for my local GP. If you are seeing a specialist the amount is much higher.


What does Medicare cover?
The benefits you receive from Medicare are based on a Schedule of fees set by the Australian Government. Doctors may choose to charge more than the Schedule fee. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) lists all the Medicare item numbers.


Out-of-hospital services
Medicare provides benefits for:

consultation fees for doctors, including specialists
tests and examinations by doctors needed to treat illnesses, including X-rays and pathology tests
eye tests performed by optometrists
most surgical and other therapeutic procedures performed by doctors
some surgical procedures performed by approved dentists
specified items under the Cleft Lip and Palate Scheme
specified items for allied health services as part of the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC)
You can choose the doctor who treats you for out-of-hospital services.

In-hospital services
Public Patient
If you choose to be admitted as a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital, you will receive treatment by doctors and specialists nominated by the hospital. You will not be charged for care and treatment, or after-care by the treating doctor.

Private Patient
If you are a private patient in a public or private hospital, you will have a choice of doctor to treat you. Medicare will pay 75 per cent of the Medicare Schedule fee for services and procedures provided by the treating doctor. If you have private health insurance some or all of the outstanding balance can be covered.

You will be charged for hospital accommodation and items such as theatre fees and medicines. These costs can also be covered by private health insurance.

What's not covered by Medicare?
Medicare does not cover such things as:

private patient hospital costs (for example, theatre fees or accommodation)
dental examinations and treatment (except specified items introduced for allied health services as part of the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program)ócontact Medicare for more information
ambulance services
home nursing
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, eye therapy, chiropractic services, podiatry or psychology (except specified items introduced for allied health services as part of the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program)ócontact Medicare for more information)
acupuncture (unless part of a doctor's consultation)
glasses and contact lenses
hearing aids and other appliances
the cost of prostheses
medicines (except for the subsidy on medicines covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme)
medical and hospital costs incurred overseas
medical costs for which someone else is responsible (for example a compensation insurer, an employer, a government or government authority)
medical services which are not clinically necessary
surgery solely for cosmetic reasons
examinations for life insurance, superannuation or membership of a friendly society
eye therapy
You can arrange private health insurance to cover many of these services.




I also pay into private health cover. Fot $109 a month I get to go to a private hospital with the doctor of my choice. I pay an co-payment of $50 per day up to a max of $250 per year. Jack pays $96 a month and has a co-payment of $100 per day. I figure he is less likely to need hospitalisation.

I am covered for the difference between the Medicare in-hospital rebate and the scheduled fee charged by my doctor for services provided in a hospital. Unfortunately more and more doctors are charging way above the scheduled fee to cover the actual costs of their services. When Zoe was in hospital recently she had to pay around $2500 extra for her specialist and the anaethetist. The actual hospital stay cost her $25 for her priavte health fund co-payment.


Our private health also covers dental to about 60% if I use the dentist that my health fund runs and 40% if I choose to go to a different dentist.



60% benefit on optical up to $120 and 40% after that.



If I go to a physiotherapits who is recommended by my health fund then all I pay is $18 a visit - just so happens the physio I have always used is one of the recommended physios - I think a visit to the physio without private health cover is around $70 not really sure as I have never not had health cover. I have a limit of $350 per year.



I also get 20% discount on all non prescription items at my local chemist - who happens to be a chemist my health fund recommends. This is the main reason I stay with my current health fund as most of their prices are comparable to a supermarket - toiletries, cosmetics and stuff like that - and take 20% off its a huge savings.



I am also covered 100% for ambulance costs. Not that I have ever needed one. But an ride in a ambo could set you back $1000.



I could pay a higher premium and be covered for other health care - chiropractor, podiatrist, dietry, naturopathy and whole range of other crap I don't need.



To encourage people to join up with a private health fund the governement provides a 30% rebate to those with cover.

If take up private health cover after you turn 31 then you pay an extra 2% in premium for every year you are over 31 when you join up.



In my experience I have never had a problem with my level of cover. Over the years we have had to make use of hospitals on a regular basis and apart from emergency admissions (asthma mainly) we have always used a private hospital with our own choice of doctor.

 

[Wenders]

Excuse the double post but for some reason I can't edit the previous post. Had enough trouble posting it in the first place as it tried to tell me I hadn't typed anything when I previewed my post. Also none of the editing functions were working.

Waiting times to have surgery vary a lot.
If you are going to a public hospital as a public patient then the wait for elective surgery (non emergency) can be months ti a couple of years.

As a private patient the wait time is considerably less, usually the longest wait is getting in to see the specialist first - depending on the severity of the problem could take 6 week but if its urgent your GP will get you in to the specialist pretty quick. After seeing your specialist then the wait time for surgery is pretty much dependant on how urgent it is, when you can get time off work and what the surgeons current schedule is for the hospital you want to go to. Most surgeons operate at a couple of different private hospitals. In our experience with hospitals and surgery - which is pretty extensive, we have never had to wait more than a week and the delay would be more to do with arranging the time to fit into my schedule rather than the doctors.

 

[Omnis]

I have major medical and get free checkups from my grandpa or have worked out reduced fees with the other doctors I might have to see.

 

[Kovalex]

Canadian free healthcare is total "BS" in quebec. Line-ups in the hospitals are mad crazy ( talk about 5-10 hours as an average), especially in Montreal... Family doctors are really hard to find, as most of the doctors try to go work in the states (pays much better and they are not handcuffed like they are here). We have to pay for ambulances, we have to pay for non-basic pills. And still, it costs a bit more than 30.000.000.000$ EACH year. Both of my gf's parents are doctors, and they hate that system because it just doesn't work well. Try wikipeding france's health care, apparently its REALLY good.

 

[Sniffs]

now we need to hear from Britain and the continent. I applaude this effort, and think it should be forewarded to the president (by SNAIL mail).

 

[Sureboss]

• 
  [*]What health care plan are you a part of?
  
  NHS.
  
  [*]Do you know (roughly) how much you are paying for it (tax percentages, etc)
  
  Crikey, it isn't put down separately on pay-slips. We get Income Tax and National Insurance. It costs something like £95 billion to run the NHS (brief google search, though it has apparently increased by 50% in 8 years...). It'd be impossible to break this down, because we have so many varying taxes. If I break it down on income tax, it will cost each person £4,000 per year (24 million tax payers). If you say, all taxes, it's probably somewhere around £2,000 per year, per person. Those two figures are very broad estimates.
  
  
  [*]What kind of coverage are you afforded? Or not?
  
  Easier to say what isn't covered. You can get NHS dentists, but it's hard, and they are slowly dying out. Meh, I've got good teeth, two check ups a year, each cost about £15-£20. Obviously daft stuff like cosmetic surgery isn't covered.
  
  [*]Are you able to choose your doctor? If not, what kind of process is there involved in seeing someone?
  
  You have a GP. You get "assigned" them once you sign up to a surgery, you have to do this by yourself. I don't think it's area based, unlike our schools. My process, I have to ring early to get an appointment on the day, you can book appointments in advance, but it can be hard. You can request to see a preferred doctor (or at least, I can), if they have a free slot, you'll get it, but they are busy.
  
  [*]What kind of process is involved in making treatment decisions? Is it done between you and your doctor, between you and your government insurance plan? Other?
  
  You and your doctor/specialist.
  
  [*]When treatment is needed, is there a long wait period before you are taken care of? Are there any other troublesome wait lists?
  
  It can take a few hours to be seen in A&E. I recently had to have a mole removed, from my initial appointment, to actually getting it removed, was 5 months. Though, in the end, I didn't go through with the appointment. In theory it could have been about 4 months, but work got in the way.
  [*]Have you ever been denied care or coverage for anything?
  
  The dentists bits, but we knew about it. So I think no for that one.
  
  [*]Do you know of any "horror stories" that personally happened to you, or someone you know?
  
  NHS pretty much saved my life. Though they did have a habit of losing my urine. Urine thieves ftw!
  
  

If you have anything else to share, it would be greatly appreciated. I find its better to hear from the people who have it than what our politicians and other political leaders like to talk about.

It's a mixed bag for me. I am proud of the ideals of the system. But it could be implemented better. I hate the waiting times, for the mole thing, it was insulting. I also don't like the dentist side of it. However, I'll always be grateful for it because of their treatment of me for the 3 or so years of me being ill.

 

[YSSMAN]

Thanks for the input so far guys, its very interesting to hear how your systems work. If I'm honest, its the NHS and Canadian systems that usually interest me the most, as they are the ones targeted most-frequently by people here in the States as the "terrible" things that could happen if we adopt some kind of health reform.

Special thanks goes out to Wenders as well, I've never heard that much about the Aussie system before. It sounds like there is a good balance between public and private money being exchanged, and after clicking through the website a bit, their use of "safety net" seems pretty reasonable. Actually, I think that alone would be fairly suffice for most people to get the coverage they need.

 

[Sureboss]

If Famine wonders in here, the NHS may get a less rosy review...

 

[Grand Prix]

Here's what happens in British Columbia:

Every province is different, but in BC you get your coverage mostly from your services tax, or GST. You can choose your own doctors, and it covers EVERYTHING, except dental. Your workplace has to have to have a dental plan if you want dental care. BC MSP covers everything from a routine checkup, to specialist visits, and even surgeries. Obviously, doctors like chiropractors don't get covered. And neither are veterinarians.
The idea is, if you are a Canadian citizen and get health care in BC, you never have to see a bill after your operation.

However, I'm not sure if it would work in the entire US because you guys have so many scumbags relative to the rest of your population that would take advantage of the system. However, if you used BC's MSP, illegal immigrants would not receive medicare for "free", because they are not citizens. I recommend you guys try doing it state by state, like Canada's MSP varies province by province.

That's a general breakdown of it, I might have made a few bloopers here and there, so for more info, go here:
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/index.html

 

[Keef]

You can choose your own doctors, and it covers EVERYTHING, except dental. Your workplace has to have to have a dental plan if you want dental care. BC MSP covers everything from a routine checkup, to specialist visits, and even surgeries. Obviously, doctors like chiropractors don't get covered.

A chiropractor is a specialist. So now I've gotten confused. And it's not "obvious" to me why a doctor of any sort wouldn't be covered anyway, especially one that can actually do more than gag you with a popsicle stick or write a prescription for Flonase.

Are you allowed to get a private insurance plan if you don't want the government's? Or if you don't want the one your work offers? Or if you lost your job? Or if you're filthy rich and don't need a job?

Say I was Bill Gates or something, and I just decided I didn't want to work anymore. Right now, I would get a private plan, just for myself. With the "new" US system, I wouldn't be allowed to get a private plan because they'd be outlawed--I would be forced to use the government's plan. I don't want the government's plan.

 

[YSSMAN]

Are you allowed to get a private insurance plan if you don't want the government's? Or if you don't want the one your work offers? Or if you lost your job? Or if you're filthy rich and don't need a job?

If I understand the Canadian, and other systems correctly, yes-is. You are universally covered up to a point, but anywhere past that, it may not be covered by (enter system here), and that's where the private folks come in. I seem to recall hearing that roughly 8-10% of the people in the UK take advantage of that in addition to the NHS coverage they otherwise receive.


It sounds like they've got things figured out pretty well in BC as well. Different states operate their own Medicaid programs independently of one another, but most are not giving the same level of coverage that you have up north.

 

[Sureboss]

Yes, a lot of people have private health care insurance. It doesn't mean they can't use the NHS, which is free to anyone, not just tax payers, immigrants, etc.

 

[Grand Prix]

A chiropractor is a specialist. So now I've gotten confused. And it's not "obvious" to me why a doctor of any sort wouldn't be covered anyway, especially one that can actually do more than gag you with a popsicle stick or write a prescription for Flonase.

Are you allowed to get a private insurance plan if you don't want the government's? Or if you don't want the one your work offers? Or if you lost your job? Or if you're filthy rich and don't need a job?

Say I was Bill Gates or something, and I just decided I didn't want to work anymore. Right now, I would get a private plan, just for myself. With the "new" US system, I wouldn't be allowed to get a private plan because they'd be outlawed--I would be forced to use the government's plan. I don't want the government's plan.

I'm no expert, but I'll try to tell you what I know.

Here's the way the government looks at it: They don't cover chiropractors because in their view, it is not a scientifically sound practice. It's the same reason why herbal medicines aren't covered. However, real specialists from podiatrists to oncologists to audiologists, and everything in-between, are covered. If you want to use herbal medicine, for example, you could either pay for it out of your own pocket, or get funding from charity groups (there are dozens of them).

You do get choices for health insurance companies. You can also get an additional private health care plan for extra cost, besides just using the government's. Kind of an upgrade thing. But I haven't had any problems with the governments health care system so far.

 

[Stotty]

• What health care plan are you a part of?
National Health Service (NHS) and company provided private scheme for myself and my wife.

• Do you know (roughly) how much you are paying for it (tax percentages, etc)
Hard to know exactly - We pay 10% ‘National Insurance’ (capped at a max level), which is supposed to cover things like NHS, basic pension, social insurance costs, but I guess some of these costs are also covered by a proportion of our income tax (which is scaled from 0-40% depending on earning levels).

On top of this, I pay £22 a month contribution towards my company private scheme – my cover is free, but the £22 contribution allows cover for my wife too. The private cover is a safety net – in case the waiting lists to get treatment for non-urgent problems are long. In addition, my private scheme also covers me for things like sports injuries.

• What kind of coverage are you afforded? Or not?
All health cover except dental, optical and non-essential cosmetic stuff. Although dental is provided free for pregnant women and children up to the age of 16 (IIRC).

• Are you able to choose your doctor? If not, what kind of process is there involved in seeing someone?
Assigned a doctor up on joining a local surgery… though I can get in to see any one of the 7 at the surgery if needed.

• What kind of process is involved in making treatment decisions? Is it done between you and your doctor, between you and your government insurance plan? Other?
NHS: Doctor makes the decision in conjunction with the patient. If you require drugs, there’s a flat charge for the prescription of somewhere around £6 (I haven’t had one for such a long time I’m not 100% sure how much they are now!).

Private: I contact my provider and they refer me to a doctor of their choosing – if the doctor deems treatment is needed he then sorts this with the private healthcare provider.

• When treatment is needed, is there a long wait period before you are taken care of? Are there any other troublesome wait lists?
Can be a long waits on the NHS for non-essential/urgent treatments - up to 2 years, though more usually within 12 months.

• Have you ever been denied care or coverage for anything?
No, never.

• Do you know of any "horror stories" that personally happened to you, or someone you know?

Plenty, but given the size and complexity of the NHS that’s no surprise!

The NHS is basically sound from a provision of care perspective, but like all massive businesses it’s very inefficient and I guess billions are wasted each year. Changes over the last 20 years designed to make it more efficient have ended up just adding layers and layers of management (both people and costs) and, IMO, this just makes it even more inefficient… ultimately, I don’t think there’s a miracle solution to this… it’s just too big and complex to ever be efficient!

 

[FoolKiller]

I would also be interested if anyone is on a truly free market system , as is suggested by many Libertarian groups in the US, but I fear they do not exist anymore.

• When treatment is needed, is there a long wait period before you are taken care of? Are there any other troublesome wait lists?
Can be a long waits on the NHS for non-essential/urgent treatments - up to 2 years, though more usually within 12 months.

Just so I can get this cleared up:

I need a heart cath. It is to study a heart arrhythmia that is not constant and not a current immediate threat to my health. While in there they are going to diagnose if any drugs may be effective in eliminating it, and then diagnosing if it poses any further threats. I talked to the doctor on July 31st and we have it scheduled for August 28th. I only have to wait that long because I asked for a Friday.

Are you saying I would have been looking at as much as a 1-2 year wait? Or is my case considered essential/urgent?

Really, I guess I am looking for a definition for non-essential/urgent.

 

[Famine]

I'd guarantee a 3-6 month wait minimum between seeing a general practitioner and a specialist for any reason, unless you're actually rushed into A&E.

If the conversation was with your family GP, you'd have a specialist cardiologist appointment in 3 months and then they would schedule your treatment (which may be instant, depending on how urgent they think it is).

 

[FoolKiller]

I'd guarantee a 3-6 month wait minimum between seeing a general practitioner and a specialist for any reason, unless you're actually rushed into A&E.

If the conversation was with your family GP, you'd have a specialist cardiologist appointment in 3 months and then they would schedule your treatment (which may be instant, depending on how urgent they think it is).

Considering my heart condition is congenital, I am guessing the GP would never have been brought into this. Or would I not be allowed my regular every six month cardiologist checkup that I have had since before I can remember?

 

[Famine]

Given that it's congenital, you would probably have seen a similar treatment pattern - your parents would have been referred to a consultant cardiologist maybe even before you were born and you would have had regular, scheduled checkups with them. I doubt you'd notice a difference between the US and UK, except a lower salary

 

[FoolKiller]

Given that it's congenital, you would probably have seen a similar treatment pattern - your parents would have been referred to a consultant cardiologist maybe even before you were born and you would have had regular, scheduled checkups with them. I doubt you'd notice a difference between the US and UK, except a lower salary

But still the 3-6 months for the procedure?

Oddly, when discussing if this might require surgery I was told that I could choose to postpone surgery since I have a child on the way and wouldn't want the two conflicting. Part of me had to laugh at the concept of choosing to wait over a year while the US was in the middle of this health care discussion.

 

[Famine]

No, the 3-6 months is the lead-in time between GP and specialist. Since you're already seeing a specialist, any procedure is at his - and your - fiat.

 

[TheCracker]

Just so I can get this cleared up:

I need a heart cath. It is to study a heart arrhythmia that is not constant and not a current immediate threat to my health. While in there they are going to diagnose if any drugs may be effective in eliminating it, and then diagnosing if it poses any further threats. I talked to the doctor on July 31st and we have it scheduled for August 28th. I only have to wait that long because I asked for a Friday.

Are you saying I would have been looking at as much as a 1-2 year wait? Or is my case considered essential/urgent?

Really, I guess I am looking for a definition for non-essential/urgent.

My wife was referred by her doctor to a heart specialist last year about a suspected cardiac arrhythmia. She got an appointment and saw the specialist within 10 days, probably less. It ended up being only minor thankfully.

I'm thankfully blessed with robust genes, i can count the amount of times i've needed hospital treatment on three fingers. I've been at my present local doctors surgery for 14 years now and have only been there a couple of times, even then it was only once for a antihistamine prescription for hayfever and the second time for a medical for my race licence. I cost the NHS nothing yet don't mind my taxes going on it in the slightest. Even if most of it goes towards management consultancies (who donated millions to New Labour so they'll get these contracts, and who have now mostly shifted that funding to the Conservatives to guarantee the same outcome after the next General Election - but that's a different argument for a different thread )

If you ever require an A&E department visit you can waiting 2 to 3 hours before you get seen by a doctor. But i suspect you'd get not much better anywhere in the world, especially if you live in a major city. One of my best mates is an A&E nurse. He now works at a hospital in Perth (Australia not Scotland) but worked in one in York for years before that and even one in Bermuda for 18 months at one point. He says they are pretty much the same all the world over as far as being a patient is concerned.

 

[Sureboss]

3-6 months wait between seeing a GP and a specialist?

For anything remotely serious, that's bollocks, in my experience. You'll wait long if it's minor, and they aren't really bothered about it. In which case I generally say, if you're not bothered by it, then I'm not, and tootle off.

 

[Famine]

If it's urgent and life-threatening - like the arrhythmia - you can sometimes even be seen the same day. If you're not going to die with it untreated in the next few weeks, you can bet on 3 months.

I recently had to go see a physiotherapist and, because the waiting times were low, I got my first appointment 4 months after my initial GP visit. My dad's shortest GP-to-consultant time was 2 months for oesophageal cancer, and his illnesses included arthritis (4 year wait for replacement hip), cardiac issues (the specialist was of the opinion he'd already had two, one of those while he was waiting to see the specialist), strokes and diabetes (I think that took 6 months before the first time he saw a diabetic nurse and dietician).

Unless you ship up to A&E - but if it's not "urgent" they'll advise you to speak to your GP

 

[FoolKiller]

I recently had to go see a physiotherapist and, because the waiting times were low, I got my first appointment 4 months after my initial GP visit.

OK, so during my last annual physical my GP, whom I chose, decided a mole on my arm looked suspicious. She gave me a handwritten note to give to the dermatologist in the office next door, explaining what she was looking at, and told me to go see him on my way out with a suggested appointment for the next week. I chose to not see him as the location was not convenient for work (my GP recently moved offices) and would try someone else (still haven't scheduled that yet).


Not happening in NHS?

Another scenario: My wife was having trouble sleeping a couple of years back. We just made an appointment with a sleep specialist for a sleep study, no GP referral. Had it done, along with blood tests, insurance didn't blink, and found out my wife drinks too much caffeine.

 

[Famine]

OK, so during my last annual physical my GP, whom I chose, decided a mole on my arm looked suspicious. She gave me a handwritten note to give to the dermatologist in the office next door, explaining what she was looking at, and told me to go see him on my way out with a suggested appointment for the next week. I chose to not see him as the location was not convenient for work (my GP recently moved offices) and would try someone else (still haven't scheduled that yet).

Not happening in NHS?

Many practices in the UK are actually also allowed to carry out minor surgery. So if you're concerned about a mole chances are the GP will remove it for you there and then.

 

[Sureboss]

If it's urgent and life-threatening - like the arrhythmia - you can sometimes even be seen the same day. If you're not going to die with it untreated in the next few weeks, you can bet on 3 months.

I recently had to go see a physiotherapist and, because the waiting times were low, I got my first appointment 4 months after my initial GP visit. My dad's shortest GP-to-consultant time was 2 months for oesophageal cancer, and his illnesses included arthritis (4 year wait for replacement hip), cardiac issues (the specialist was of the opinion he'd already had two, one of those while he was waiting to see the specialist), strokes and diabetes (I think that took 6 months before the first time he saw a diabetic nurse and dietician).

Unless you ship up to A&E - but if it's not "urgent" they'll advise you to speak to your GP

Well, on both of my own experiences, when it was a non life-threatening (one could have got worse without treatment, but over quite a long time span, another they are always cautious of because of genetics, I'm sure I don't need to tell you about genetics and cancer, do I? ). I saw a specialist within 4 weeks on both occasions. In fact, I'd say it's quite common down here that you don't get these mammoth waits. South > North

 

[Famine]

Only 'cos all the money's spent in the South. And my dad lived in a city.

 

[YSSMAN]

Interesting notes so far guys. I have to think that people are most-worried here in the US about wait times and bureaucratic intervention in our care. Particularly when it comes to choosing your doctor. Having been on Medicaid before, I know that isn't generally the case, and furthermore, that wait times were minimal between me seeing our family doctor and getting things checked out.