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Yes, in a properly functioning universal healthcare system, wait times for specialists can be longer for things that are less urgent. First priority is those with the most medical need, not whoever steps up to pay to play.

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It's still comparable with the hybrid system in the U.S. too - i.e. outpatient surgery procedures can take months no matter which system.

Perhaps, but I believe the averages are significantly lower in the US - Canada publishes theirs, you can check it.

Is this confounded by the number of Americans would _want_ treatment, but can't afford it or can't access it via their health insurance?

Is that when you omit infinity from the calculations in the US...?

I got an MRI within a day and CT scan within a day as well. I got an endoscopy within 5 days. My friend waited 4 months for her MRI to diagnose gallbladder stones. The same friend has to wait 2 years for autism therapy for their children. The waiting times for specialists in Canada are in the months. When I lived in Canada, it was practically impossible to find a GP in downtown Toronto that was taking new patients.

Yes, I didn't have to pay much for health care (I remember having a health care tax in Ontario) but it wasn't a bed of roses either. I'm a lot happier with Kaiser in California than any treatment I received in Canada.

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