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Aus.
I'm waiting for minor surgery. Basically every 6 months or so they make me come to the hospital to talk to a nurse or doctor or whatever, it's pretty pointless. Ends with them saying "yep you need surgery" then I go back to waiting. No idea when I'll actually get it done, should be any year now.
If I got private insurance I'd have to wait a year before cashing out, so I'm fine not paying anything and waiting a bit longer. If I had known I'd be waiting as long as I have I might have opted for private, but there isn't any solid timeline given for waiting times.
Everything outside of that is quick and easy. Go to gp, get referral, see specialist. No roadblocks at all, but the specialists likely cost a couple hundred bucks. Medication is pretty cheap, usually $10-20 for a month's supply of anything you need.
I’m in the US and a common thing detractors will point to is that socialized medicine means having to wait.
I respect your privacy but if you feel willing to share I’d be curious as to the nature of the surgery. Seems the doctors think you need surgery and you have to wait, I’m mostly curious what impact the waiting has for you. I’m assuming it’s some amount of hardship, because you went to the doctor for it in the first place, but on a scale from “my shoulder hurts when I do X” to “I’m completely incapacitated” where do you feel like you land?
Does the system prioritize in some way? Are more minor surgeries further out than more serious stuff? I would imagine, but I’ve only ever been in this system so I’m curious how they decide who has to wait another few months.
In my limited experience here in the US, my entire adult life ive had what would normally be referred to as “Cadillac insurance” (this is the highest level of insurance paid for by an employer) I’ve also had to wait months for procedures and then pay thousands out of pocket along with the $20k or so we pay every year in monthly premiums.
But waiting 6 months then told to wait another 6 and another and another, does seem dreadful. I think the longest me or my spouse have needed to wait for a procedure is on the order of 6 months but it would be scheduled within that window. Although for some reason just getting in to see a doctor can take month or two (always quite frustrating when you are ill and they will see you next month, let’s hope it doesn’t last that long) but then you have expensive supplemental care like urgent care.
In any event, I’m more curious than anything having only had experience with US healthcare, fun stuff like fighting with insurance to pay for anesthesia for surgery because, yes Doris, it is a medical necessity.
Thanks for reading, hope you get the care you need soon and that you aren’t in too bad shape in the meanwhile.
I couldn't say how it works because public health insurance is basically invisible when you're using it. When I see the hospital it's for them to assess when I should be booked into surgery.
I have a hernia affecting my upper gi. Negative symptoms are easily treatable with medication, however over a long time (like 10+ years) it may cause other issues in the surrounding area, some that could be precursors to cancer, disease, etc.
That's all I know tbh, I haven't really cared enough about it to find out what the deal is. Maybe they have a quota for how many of these types of surgeries they can perform in a year based on their budget, and more life threatening stuff eats away from that quota. This would make sense as to why they aren't able to give me a timeframe until I'm high enough on the waiting list that more serious injuries aren't likely to push me back.
Thanks for sharing. I hope you get your surgery before any of those negative long term consequences.
I suppose no matter who is paying, private insurance or public, there can always be more need than resources. In the US the rationing just happens by those without enough money foregoing care.
Wishing you all the best