Reply With Quote
And, you think that will change under any health care plan?
Big surprise, the richer come first....
Business WeekA survey conducted by the CommonWealth Fund determined the percentage of patients to get "a same or next-day appointment for a nonroutine visit":
Britain........ 71%
Germany..... 69%
Australia..... 66%
U.S............. 47%
Canada....... 36%
The U.S. reported the highest percentage of people going to an emergency room (26%).. "for a condition that could have been treated by a regular doctor if available..."
"the U.S. had shorter wait times than every country except Germany when it came to getting an appointment with a specialist for nonemergency elective surgery"
[B]"the U.S. assumed first place—by a wide margin: 51% of U.S. adults surveyed did not visit a doctor, get a needed test, or fill a prescription within the past two years because of cost. No other country came close to that percentage.
There is no systemized, nationwide collection of data on wait times in the U.S., making it difficult to compare delays to those in countries with national health systems, who typically track and publish data on wait times. But a 2005 survey conducted by the Commonwealth Fund of sicker adults in six highly industrialized countries found that only Canada was worse than the U.S. when it came to waiting six days or longer to schedule a doctor's appointment for a medical problem.
Of the countries surveyed, 81% of patients in New Zealand got a same or next-day appointment for a nonroutine visit, 71% in Britain, 69% in Germany, 66% in Australia, 47% in the U.S., and 36% in Canada. Those lengthy wait times in the U.S. explain why 26% of Americans reported going to an emergency room for a condition that could have been treated by a regular doctor if available, higher than every other country surveyed.
No. 1 in Foregone Care
The Commonwealth survey did find that patients in the U.S. had shorter wait times than every country except Germany when it came to getting an appointment with a specialist for nonemergency elective surgery, such as hip replacements, cataract surgery, or knee repair. But Gerard Anderson, a health-policy expert at Johns Hopkins University, says most doctors know how to "game the system" in those countries where there are queues for elective surgery, by putting at-risk patients on the list long before their need is critical. "Their wait might be uncomfortable, but it makes very little clinical difference."
The Commonwealth survey found one area in which the U.S. assumed first place—by a wide margin: 51% of U.S. adults surveyed did not visit a doctor, get a needed test, or fill a prescription within the past two years because of cost. No other country came close to that percentage.
And, you think that will change under any health care plan?
Meaningless statistics without knowing why it happens. It would help if doctors didn't have to pay $300,000 in medical insurance annually for some specialties, then pay a 35% tax as a professional in their income. It's hard for doctors today, and it's not uncommon for new doctors to come out of medical school with a $300,000 debt!
It's hard for a business professionals to come out of business school with less than 100K in debt (and your not guaranteed a job)...so what?....school's expensive, but yet you don't see too many doctors driving used cars and recycling cans with the family on weekends..
Sounds like they chose the wrong degree plan.
But, to your point, you don't see too many employed "business professionals" driving used cars and recycling cans with the family on weekends, either. You also don't see "business professionals" who have the majority of their income eaten by malpractice insurance premiums, taxes, and student loan repayment.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
