How National Health Care Is Working For The Swedes
Apparently, you could actually die waiting.
So, from The Local, Swedes are buying private insurance or getting it through their employers so they can skip the long lines for national health care:
More than half a million Swedes now have private health insurance, showed a new review from industry organization Swedish Insurance (Svensk Försäkring). In eight out of ten cases, the person's employer had offered them the private insurance deal."It's quicker to get a colleague back to work if you have an operation in two weeks' time rather than having to wait for a year," privately insured Anna Norlander told Sveriges Radio on Friday. "It's terrible that I, as a young person, don't feel I can trust the health care system to take care of me."
The insurance plan guarantees that she can see a specialist within four working days, and get a time for surgery, if needed, within 15.
Welcome to your future!
Sure, you can still get coverage yourself through an insurance company -- until the "Affordable" Care Act ends up putting private insurance companies out of business...just like Obama had hoped.
I live in Norway and the wait times are ridiculous. I waited four years to have surgery on my kidney only to find out after the first surgery that they had to stop it because they misdiagnosed me. Then took another 2 years before I could the correct surgery.
It's also not 100% free. You pay for any materials they use for your time in the hospital.
Kendra at January 22, 2014 8:26 AM
So the whole thing devolves into just a tax. You aren't paying for "health care", because that doesn't actually exist. You're just paying because the government says to and puts a gun to your head if you don't. If you actually want, you know, health care, you have to pay for that separately.
Cousin Dave at January 22, 2014 12:54 PM
Is having surgery early equal to a higher quality of life? a longer life? The Swedes and 36 other countries (according the the WHO) seem to be doing a lot better (for cheaper) than us in the USA.
Jamie at January 22, 2014 8:00 PM
Jamie, ever hear the saying "There's lies, damned lies, and statistics"?
You can say anything you want with statistics.
Did you know carrots are poisons? 100% of people who ate so much of a sliver of carrot before 1900 have died.
lujlp at January 22, 2014 9:51 PM
It is really simple why these systems do not work:
They do not focus on paying doctors.
That's a simple idea, isn't it? If the doctor does not get paid, no one gets care. Yet we are told that if we pay into a bureaucracy, packed with people who do nothing to treat people, all will be well.
See THIS
Radwaste at January 23, 2014 5:29 AM
"The Swedes and 36 other countries (according the the WHO) seem to be doing a lot better (for cheaper) than us in the USA."
This is of course the same WHO which claims that Europe has a far lower rate of infant mortality than the U.S. does. Until you dig into the data and you find all of the tricks that the European countries use to fudge the stats, e.g., a baby that dies in the first 48 hours or so isn't counted as a "live birth". Presto, no more infant mortality!
Cousin Dave at January 23, 2014 6:39 AM
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