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I'm sure you can choose if you really really want to, but there are sensible default options. The way it should be in my opinion: 1. Go to nearest hospital, no

I'm sure you can choose if you really really want to, but there are sensible default options. The way it should be in my opinion: 1. Go to nearest hospital, no need to worry about insurance or whether it's a "preferred" hospital for your insurance company. 2. Get assigned doctor(s) based on your needs. 3. Get treatment. No need to check what treatments are covered and if your doctor is trying to screw you over with unnecessary expensive tests. 3. Relax. No paperwork because there is a unified information system. No insurance paperwork because it's all covered. I think it's difficult to imagine how much easier it can be, when you're used to dealing with heavy bureaucracy and insurance companies. I can't explain how much less stressed I was in that system. Then again, I'm even stressed about owning a car with all that entails in terms of check-ups, oil changes, repairs, insurance, expiring licenses, parking etc. Perhaps other people are better at dealing with this crap than I am.

philwelch 14y ago
For regular doctor's appointments, I don't go to the hospital, I just go to my doctor's office. I can imagine pretty well. When things are set up with good insurance coverage, it's hardly any different than what you described, maybe with the exception of preferred networks, but in my city I've never had any doctor fall outside of the preferred network for my insurance anyway. Everything is either covered from the insurance or you get a straightforward bill, and even then you can get an HSA to cover your out-of-pocket expenses with some insurance plans. I've never had to deal with insurance paperwork either, aside from collecting my insurance card from the mail and presenting it at the doctor's office. It can easily be much, much worse though.
- purplelobster 14y ago
  Well, obviously there are exceptions, but I wouldn't measure or defend a system based on the best case, but the average and standard deviation. Unfortunately, a huge amount of people are falling through the cracks. Sweden's system might be worse for rich/upper middle class people, but the average case is more than acceptable and the deviation is small. For instance, if you come in with a non life threatening condition, you will have to wait. That could mean waiting months for a specific surgery that you might get instantly in the US if you had good insurance. That kinda sucks when you have to wait and you're in pain, but is understandable unless you want to spend 50% of GDP on health care, or prioritize people based on how much they earn.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    Historically, rich people from countries with socialized medicine would fly to the United States for medical treatment. We could stand to improve the quality of care for the poor in the US, but there's lots of room to do that in the existing system. For people who have health insurance benefits from their work, I think having a little bit more paperwork is better than waiting for months for surgery.
    - purplelobster 14y ago
      Again, it's completely irrelevant what amazing treatment rich people get. And please, find me any evidence that American health care is in any way better or that anyone is flying there to get treatment. I can only find evidence of the contrary. If I ever get seriously sick, I'll be on the first plane out of here.
      - deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
      - philwelch 14y ago
        Look, your hobbyhorse is obviously this notion that there are absolutely no redeeming characteristics to the US health care system, so there's obviously no point getting into a nuanced conversation with you. It's rather off topic anyway. I regret ever thinking you were capable of a reasonable conversation.

philwelch 14y ago

For regular doctor's appointments, I don't go to the hospital, I just go to my doctor's office. I can imagine pretty well. When things are set up with good insurance coverage, it's hardly any different than what you described, maybe with the exception of preferred networks, but in my city I've never had any doctor fall outside of the preferred network for my insurance anyway. Everything is either covered from the insurance or you get a straightforward bill, and even then you can get an HSA to cover your out-of-pocket expenses with some insurance plans. I've never had to deal with insurance paperwork either, aside from collecting my insurance card from the mail and presenting it at the doctor's office. It can easily be much, much worse though.

purplelobster 14y ago
Well, obviously there are exceptions, but I wouldn't measure or defend a system based on the best case, but the average and standard deviation. Unfortunately, a huge amount of people are falling through the cracks. Sweden's system might be worse for rich/upper middle class people, but the average case is more than acceptable and the deviation is small. For instance, if you come in with a non life threatening condition, you will have to wait. That could mean waiting months for a specific surgery that you might get instantly in the US if you had good insurance. That kinda sucks when you have to wait and you're in pain, but is understandable unless you want to spend 50% of GDP on health care, or prioritize people based on how much they earn.
- philwelch 14y ago
  Historically, rich people from countries with socialized medicine would fly to the United States for medical treatment. We could stand to improve the quality of care for the poor in the US, but there's lots of room to do that in the existing system. For people who have health insurance benefits from their work, I think having a little bit more paperwork is better than waiting for months for surgery.
  - purplelobster 14y ago
    Again, it's completely irrelevant what amazing treatment rich people get. And please, find me any evidence that American health care is in any way better or that anyone is flying there to get treatment. I can only find evidence of the contrary. If I ever get seriously sick, I'll be on the first plane out of here.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
    - philwelch 14y ago
      Look, your hobbyhorse is obviously this notion that there are absolutely no redeeming characteristics to the US health care system, so there's obviously no point getting into a nuanced conversation with you. It's rather off topic anyway. I regret ever thinking you were capable of a reasonable conversation.