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No. It's really as simple as that. only the US allow for this. Edit: To all the down-voters. The article isn't about private healthcare which in the US is more
by ThomPete 9y ago
No. It's really as simple as that. only the US allow for this.
Edit: To all the down-voters. The article isn't about private healthcare which in the US is more the rule than the exception. It's about a layer on top of private healthcare.
Of course private healthcare exist in other countries. But this concierge layer for "normal" rich people you will be hard pressed to find many other places I ma pretty sure off (but could be wrong of course). Unless you are a politician or royal or something.
- kcorbitt 9y agoWhile there may be some countries that disallow private healthcare entirely, the international situation is far more nuanced than your comment implies. For example, I lived in Spain, where most people use the highly functional public health system but there is a parallel private healthcare industry that is also very effective (and still reasonably priced, compared to private healthcare in the US).
- ThomPete 9y agoYes private healthcare systems of course they exist in other countries. But the article is as far as I understand it about something else. It's about a layer on top of the already existing private healthcare system in the US.
- mtalantikite 9y agoMany countries have parallel private medical care. The egregious thing is that the US doesn't even have an affordable public option for the rest of the population.
- ThomPete 9y agoCompletely agree. I didn't mean to say only the US has private healthcare. I was reading the article as an extra layer on top of the already existing private healthcare with even better access than ex my Aethna all access bla bla thing.
- ezequiel-garzon 9y agoWell, probably not this level of pampering, but clearly money always helps, and that is allowed pretty much everywhere. And, I'm willing to bet, in those places where it's not allowed it's done off the record anyway. My own data point: back when I had a job that provided private insurance in Spain, making an appointment for my daughter with a specialist required waiting for weeks. The shortcut? A paid, private appointment, outside this private insurance. The specialist saw her in a matter of days.
- ThomPete 9y agoSure off the record a lot of things are done. But at an industry level like this? All your private insurance allowed you to do is do what the US system allow you to do through a better healthcare insurance. The article as far as I understand it is another extra layer on top.
- ezequiel-garzon 9y agoI could have paid for that visit without having private insurance. If anybody allows this it is the state, and as far as I know it was all allowed and legal. With regard to this extra layer on top, I doubt it wouldn't be allowed in Spain. There just isn't a market for it, in all likelihood.
- ThomPete 9y agoThats not the point. You can't just get right in front of the best doctor if you choose to pay out of your own pocket. The whole point is that this layer provides you with extra access and extra care.
- ezequiel-garzon 9y agoI disagree. Given enough money you'll get a top-tier doctor in any specialty pretty soon, pretty much anywhere. Again, my point is that probably few places disallow this service, as you indicated. Maybe you meant to say that even the wealthiest in countries with outstanding health systems don't bother looking for such a service? That may very well be the case.