[IMSAI8080]

What? I have never seen these alleged "entitled gatekeepers". I have been passed to specialists with no issue. The public sector healthcare is excellent and the same medical standard as is received in the private sector.

Let's talk about that price. So how does healthcare work out for you in the US system if you cannot pay for insurance? In a public sector system you still get healthcare just the same if your income is zero. The total tax cost for middle (or even higher) earners in European countries is often less than equivalent private insurance premiums paid in the US. In private sector systems you still ending up paying out of pocket even when you are "covered" with those deductibles. So your overall cost is even higher. Don't forget in the US you still pay taxes for healthcare for schemes like Medicare so don't forget to add that on when doing comparisons. What does the typical private insurance policy say about pre-existing conditions and congenital disorders? You're fully covered in public sector healthcare. What if you suffer from an expensive illness? You may find your insurance premiums increase. Your taxes don't increase in public sector healthcare regardless of what illness you have.

[mahathu]

It's just americabrain. You can hardly blame them as this is the only system they know and were socialized in. I've talked to otherwise intelligent and well adjusted people who came up with the most spectacular mental gymnastics defending the US health system and coming up with the weirdest reason why public health care in the developed world isn't actually better (you have to pay taxes!!:(), it's absolutely mindboggling and I just laugh at them now. It really sucks for the families who have their lived destroyed due to unnecessary and massive medical bills.

[rhaway84773]

The irony of the comment you’re responding to is that Americans also pay a lot for healthcare in taxes and we don’t even get decent healthcare in return.

[xtracto]

> What? I have never seen these alleged "entitled gatekeepers". I have been passed to specialists with no issue. The public sector healthcare is excellent and the same medical standard as is received in the private sector.

I saw it and "suffered" it in the UK. GP visits are terrible there: You only had 15 minutes and GPs seem to always be in a hurry. I've always had IBS and had to go through several GP appointments until they refereed me to a gastroenterologist. Once I was referred, it was pure joy and incredibly good, and I din't pay A DIME.

I also experienced it in Germany. Although it was a bit better than in the UK. My GP in Germany referred me to a specialist Gastro pretty quickly.

I am talking coming from Mexico and the Mexican system. Here we are very used to two systems: A nefarious public one which is just terrible. And a private one which is quite good and at great price. Also, for private care, you can go directly to specialists.

[edmundsauto]

> GP visits are terrible there: You only had 15 minutes and GPs seem to always be in a hurry.

This is how standard care in the US is, even with good insurance. I've always assumed a doctor's time is so valuable it makes sense to carve it into ever smaller pieces.