Originally posted by Dionysus:

I would rather have everyone be able to see a low-paid goverment doctor, than most of the nation not be able to see any doctor. But maybe this is just backwards thinking.



Actually the way it works in this country...the E.R.s cannot legally turn people away. This is where uninsured go, and consume a HIGH percent of nations medical resources (with hospitals partially reimbursed by the government and eating the rest of the costs). They get state of the art diagnostics NOW (as opposed to waiting 2 months+ for an MRI as in Canada), expensive drugs (much broader formulary than Canada) expensive procedures...again no 6 month waiting list for coronary bypass, no rationed HIV drugs until disease is advanced. The problem is outpatient followup - many do not follow up because they do not want to wait for hours in busy university, or health department free clinics. They often prefer to wait for acute problems and are poorly compliant with preventive medicine. But its typically available for those that bother to work with the system. Socialized medicine is much like this...its just that EVERYBODY gets the same treatment..

And again...the best of the "low paid" MDs in Canada, India, South Africa, etc..come HERE.

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