I am asking this here rather than general discussion because there even entertaining the thought that a single payer or government health care system might have some benefits is enough to get you lynched and cast out as a heretic.
So I put the question to you, the European residents of ar15.com: how do you like the government health care in your particular country, how well has it worked, what are its drawbacks and benefits and what would you change about it if anything?
I am curious because I have noticed that the people who live under such systems usually seem content with them.
I would also like to know the opinions of the UK members who might be reading this, even though they have their own section.


 

sure it's a good thing that the Govt will cover most of the costs (expecially with all the tax we have to pay!) but anything managed by the Govt is slow and most of the time I have to go to a private doctor to save time and get a better service.

Here you can get exceptional care, as long as you're willing to wait for it. If you're like me, and want prompt care, you get a private insurance.

Considering the taxes you and your employer have to pay for government health care it should be bloody marvelous...
It's not bad, but waiting times for surgery - if there is no life threatening cause - might take half a year or much longer.
This is why everyone who can afford it takes out a private insurance as well - so when my mother at long last decided to get knee replacement the operation was scheduled two weeks later.

One problem with Austian government health care is that the system is awfully boated - 22 - I kid you not - government insurer for a population of 8 milllion!
Also you cannot simpy freely choose your public healthcare provider you are enrolled acording to the province you live in and your profession.
Fraud seems to be a rising issue as some kind of photo ID is reqired as well as your social security card when having a doctors appointment.

SVA

Who wouldn't like it?  Its "free."

Well, obviously any kind of system is going to suck more or less. But I think a government imposed monopoly sucks more.

Social security taxes can be pretty hardcore. For a "take-home pay" of 2000 EUR, social security/retirement/unemployment and other mandatory benefits cost is approximately 1750EUR (ratio: ~1.9). On a minimum pay job ("SMIC") with a "take home pay" (for 35hrs/wk) of 1100EUR, social security & shit cost 500EUR (ratio ~1.45). No wonder almost half of jobs are minimum pay. I'm totally surprised, shocked even.

And on top of that are broad base/low rate (well, not so low anymore !) taxes on all kinds of income (real estate, investment/bonds/stocks...) which also fund this madness.

With this in mind, while coverage for real trouble (chronic illness or trauma) is decent, keep in mind that a trip to your local doctor will cost you 23E of which you'll have to pay 7 or 8. Not a big deal per se. Drugs are covered up to 70%. Glasses and dental coverage are a joke/slap on your face.

Which means you'll probably get a private insurance (until recently could be had "tax free" from your employer, but not anymore !). Cost hovers around 600 (young single) to 3000 (family with two kids), and can be "configured" with what you need or more likely what you can afford.

As always, the lack of competition leads to excessive cost. We could probably trim a good 20% by just having competition and probably dropping some useless shit that is covered.

Hospitals are half decent. ERs can suck real bad as there are nowadays tons of dumbasses who'll go to the ER because last night's chili turned them into a flaming up side down volcano. Suck it up cupcake and GTFO ! ERs are for people who lost limbs or have no pulse.

It's fucked up.

I'm covered under the German employee health plan. There are several insurances to pick from, but they are all statutory.

I can't get a private insurance since I have preexisting conditions disqualifying me.

In my income group I pay the maxium, around US$440 per month, my employer pays about the same amount (the premium is shared between the employee and the employer). Total for the health insurance is around $800 per month.

Coverage... Well, they cover the basic things, dentures with be fixed the cheapest way. If you want something nice, it's extra out of your pocket, or you purchase insurance from a private insurer for that particular thing.

Hospitals. With the govt. healthplan you end up in a room with 4-6 beds. Extra insurance can be purchased to get a 2 bed or single room. Or you pay out of your own pocket (I did that the last time I was hospitalized, it was around $160 a day for 10 days).  

Doctors... The good ones only accept privately insured patiens since they can charge more for their services than if the patient is covered by the general govt. health insurances.

The govt. health insurance is compulsory, so you are fucked one way or the other. You can get out if you make more than $100.000 a year, but you have to proof that you purchased private insurance instead.

I don't have anything good to say about Latvia on this topic.

Socialized goodness for exceptionally poor people who are very content with what they have.

(I'm a certified Athletic Trainer in the US but over here some bastardized Fiziotherapist)
I've had athletes who can't get MRI's done to diagnose torn knee ligaments for months due to the waiting list being 6ish months, unless they can magically find 100-200EUR (about 1/5-1/3 of a months wage for an average person) to get bumped up from the free list to the paid list which was still a few weeks wait.
Another athlete of mine bit through his lip during a road game 3hrs from the capital city. I asked the local Fizio. about stitching him up at a hospital there to save time. I was told that there's a very good chance that they will "screw up the stitches on his face and leave him with a bad scar because they aren't specialized in facial sutures" in the local hospital.

Rehabilitation and record keeping is so screwed up here that it deserves it's own topic.

On a positive note you can get better care if you want to pay way more than you can earn in a month here.
And did I mention income tax is about 35-38% to pay for this boondoggle.

I pray I never have to set foot in the medical system here as a patient.

Oh bonus: I had to get a "state mandated physical" in order to work with students. They did nothing more than ask me if I had any ailments and then signed my papers.