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The problem with socialized medicine is not with regards to the routine (broken ankle, high cholesterol) but instead with regards to the even slightly unusual.

The problem with socialized medicine is not with regards to the routine (broken ankle, high cholesterol) but instead with regards to the even slightly unusual. The economic incentive is not there for highly trained specialists. Nothing about this article is surprising, despite the author's tone. Any modern industrialized country should be able to quickly treat a routine broken ankle. Where that's not possible in the US it's a travesty. Now compare the care of extremely rare diseases in the US and UK and you have something more interesting to talk about.

aleksei 10y ago
I have to disagree with this. If there were no private hospitals this might hold true, but as it is the better off will continue to pay for their expensive treatment, keeping the economic incentive for doctors, while the poor will at least have basic treatment available (at no cost, no less). As for comparing rare disease treatment, I can't say but would like to see some more information.
cjdndjcn 10y ago
I just about died from scarlet fever a year ago in the US because they wouldn't prescribe me antibiotics since the strep antigen tests kept coming back negative. I didn't get better until two weeks later when they finally gave me the antibiotics anyway. This was despite that fact that I displayed all the classic symptpoms: 107.5F fever, full body rash, chest pain, and blood in my urine. In my experience the only thing exceptionally good about US healthcare is its astoundingly effective PR team.
NowImUsingNames 10y ago
I just about died from scarlet fever a year ago in the US because they wouldn't prescribe me antibiotics since the strep antigen tests kept coming back negative. I didn't get better until two weeks later when they finally gave me the antibiotics anyway. This was despite that fact that I displayed all the classic symptpoms: 107.5F fever, full body rash, chest pain, and blood in my urine. In my experience the only thing exceptionally good about US healthcare is its astoundingly effective PR team.

aleksei 10y ago

I have to disagree with this. If there were no private hospitals this might hold true, but as it is the better off will continue to pay for their expensive treatment, keeping the economic incentive for doctors, while the poor will at least have basic treatment available (at no cost, no less). As for comparing rare disease treatment, I can't say but would like to see some more information.

cjdndjcn 10y ago

I just about died from scarlet fever a year ago in the US because they wouldn't prescribe me antibiotics since the strep antigen tests kept coming back negative. I didn't get better until two weeks later when they finally gave me the antibiotics anyway. This was despite that fact that I displayed all the classic symptpoms: 107.5F fever, full body rash, chest pain, and blood in my urine. In my experience the only thing exceptionally good about US healthcare is its astoundingly effective PR team.

NowImUsingNames 10y ago