Actually, yes. You may think I’m crazy, but here’s why: I have, between my surgeries, my wife’s surgeries (note plural for both), and my children’s surgeries, I have had a great positive experience with it. I have had dual shoulder surgeries. My total time for each surgery from complaint to going under the knife of an orthopedic surgeon was probably 3-4 weeks for each shoulder (years apart), and that was only because it had to get cleared through the military medical complex. My wife has had to have both gastric bypass and an hysterectomy. Gastric Bypass was pre-approved through the insurance (private insurance through my employer), which took about 4 weeks, and then surgery was scheduled approximately a week later. Her hysterectomy took even less time. Now compare this to our neighbors to the north. Assuming either of these would be approved, how long would the wait time to see a specialist be? I’ve heard stories about people with a need for a hip replacement waiting months to just go for the initial consult, and then another few months to actually go under the knife. Or heart specialists. Or whatever. To me the issue is the wait times. Now, I will give our upstairs neighbors a lot of props: Their PCP/GP’s are great and it’s a great system they have. But when it comes to specialists, they are about as rare as unicorns, from what I’ve heard. So perhaps a hybrid system may be appropriate? General, in-office care be universal, where surgical services would be contracted through private insurance. That way those with sniffles, need a toenail excised, or need a medication refill would be covered by the universal care, but it wouldn’t stifle the desire to be surgeons. But one thing absolutely has to be dissolved is this price control nonsense from the government. Reimbursing doctors at below-market rates will drive doctors away, not encourage them to work with you. You have to provide competitive wages if you want the best doctors working in the system.
Actually, yes. You may think I’m crazy, but here’s why: I have, between my surgeries, my wife’s surgeries (note plural for both), and my children’s surgeries, I have had a great positive experience with it. I have had dual shoulder surgeries. My total time for each surgery from complaint to going under the knife of an orthopedic surgeon was probably 3-4 weeks for each shoulder (years apart), and that was only because it had to get cleared through the military medical complex. My wife has had to have both gastric bypass and an hysterectomy. Gastric Bypass was pre-approved through the insurance (private insurance through my employer), which took about 4 weeks, and then surgery was scheduled approximately a week later. Her hysterectomy took even less time. Now compare this to our neighbors to the north. Assuming either of these would be approved, how long would the wait time to see a specialist be? I’ve heard stories about people with a need for a hip replacement waiting months to just go for the initial consult, and then another few months to actually go under the knife. Or heart specialists. Or whatever. To me the issue is the wait times. Now, I will give our upstairs neighbors a lot of props: Their PCP/GP’s are great and it’s a great system they have. But when it comes to specialists, they are about as rare as unicorns, from what I’ve heard. So perhaps a hybrid system may be appropriate? General, in-office care be universal, where surgical services would be contracted through private insurance. That way those with sniffles, need a toenail excised, or need a medication refill would be covered by the universal care, but it wouldn’t stifle the desire to be surgeons. But one thing absolutely has to be dissolved is this price control nonsense from the government. Reimbursing doctors at below-market rates will drive doctors away, not encourage them to work with you. You have to provide competitive wages if you want the best doctors working in the system.