If you are the sort of person that can afford good health insurance in the US, then you are also the sort of person that can afford to go private for certain th

If you are the sort of person that can afford good health insurance in the US, then you are also the sort of person that can afford to go private for certain things in a country that has a good public system. The existence of a public system keeps the prices for the private system in line. They can't get too ridiculous because there is always the free option available. In NZ, I have found that diagnostic on the public system to be plenty fast enough. Then when it comes to treatment option you can weigh a quote of getting it done privately immediately vs waiting for a specified amount of time. And due to the public system I wouldn't even think twice about going to the doctor as soon as I have any kind of issue at all.