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Comment by stackedinserter | Hacker News Reader

In Canada, the whole so called "free" healthcare system is collapsing, not just access to family doctors. If you get sick and you're not visibly dying right now – good luck to get any help. The best you can hope for is $60 10 min appointment via zoom with a doctor that can't even refer you to a specialist. Also, you can spend 6-10 hours in your local ER to get help, or be told to come tomorrow because we don't have radiologist or something.

Oh there's an option to subscribe to "case management" plan at your local doctor office for $2000/year per person, then you can magically have ad-hoc slots, phone consultations, referrals to specialists etc.

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You also have people that go to the ER for nothing plugging up the system. I was in the ER waiting to get stitches and someone had a blister. Why are you at the ER for a blister on your finger.

Because they don't have a family doctor.

Because they have nowhere to go at all. In my area there's one walk-in clinic left and it stops accepting new visitors 1-2 hours after opening.

I live in BC, personally went through this ordeal this year involving two medical issues. One was during the holidays so access to specialists was even worse.

I did not know about "case management plans". That's a lot of money but for the price of a nice Apple laptop, a more personalized assessment of my chronic digestive issues? I might resort to that.

They can be called something else, it's just an example from the nearest clinic that offers that.

I see, I'm in the Vancouver area and my family doctor's clinic doesn't seem to offer that, at least on their website.

Why do you lie and spread fud ? I have been in Vancouver/BC for close to 10y and have never heard of anyone paying for care in any form. The virtual ones are all covered by MSP, access to doctors via the virtual calls and walk ins isn't perfect but isn't what you're describing

"Lie"? You can go fuck yourself, bud.

Maybe in BC it's much better (I doubt it), but in Ontario, wherever you go to get online appointment, it's $50-70. There are places that still accept OHIP, but it's harder and harder to find. Last time we just bit the bullet and paid $60 because of urgency.

I paid $60 to see a shopping mall optometrist in Richmond to diagnose my sudden vision problem. It was a co-pay for the service. I went home without having to go to the ER that day.

It was a wise suggestion by my mother, in that going to the hospital ER could've been a multi-hour long wait.

Optometrist is a grey area as it isn't really covered by MSP, like dental. Unless it is a medical emergency. So your mother told you the right thing, because it's true

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