[wintermutestwin]

>The US wait for equivalent of GP is like next 1-2 days

Again, I'd like to see the stats on that. I wanted to see my Dr for an annual checkup and was told it was a 2+ month wait and if I didn't want to wait I could see some random nurse practitioner.

There are 2nd world countries where it is incredibly cheap to call your doctor's cell phone and have them come to you in a day or two.

[illiac786]

I can confirm that in multiple European countries you just walk to your GP's office and wait an hour or two (worst case) if you do not have an appointment.

I waited 20 min last time I went without appointment.

Specialists is a different story, the worst being psychologists/therapists (wait time counted in years where I live).

[alchemist1e9]

The equivalent is urgent care clinics in the US. They are everywhere and you can be seen in 15-20 mins, covered by employer medical plan. Testing, imaging, common medicines and treatments on site.

Wait for specialists and surgeries are significantly less in the US than all other G20 countries.

[illiac786]

In France, they are trying to cut back on exactly this because emergency services are completely overwhelmed with non-emergency patients.

[alchemist1e9]

People are mixing up numbers because of different naming and conventions.

Here is an example item, wait time for knee replacement surgery, or any standard surgery. I’m fairly confident the US is lowest among all G20, by significant amounts.

Your annual checkup wait isn’t an appropriate measure, they do that as they are prioritizing care much better than in bureaucratic socialized medical care. That doctor you are calling on cell likely has much less resources than the nurse practitioner you can be seen in 15-20 mins wait almost 24/7 in every major population center in the US at urgent cares, rapid cares, and worst case ERs. Instant testing, imaging, medications on site.

I don’t think you are comparing apples to apples when people claim they would prefer medical care elsewhere, they have some incorrect assumptions about greener grass, or we are discussing the experience of very lowest income segment of the population.

I do agree that bottom 10% might be slightly better off medically in other countries than the US. That is definitely possible. But for 90% I don’t think it is even remotely competitive.