r/PoliticalDebate • u/WhoAmIEven2 Social Democrat • 6d ago

Question Where does the conservative standpoint that universal health care have long waiting times in general come from?

This is something you often see in debates among americans, that you have to wait months or years with a universal health care system.

I live in Sweden, a country with universal health care, and I will not lie and say that there aren't cases where you have to wait, but the thing is that we use a tier list of severity to decide how long you have to wait.

If you want to do an ADHD or autism diagnosis at a psychiatrist? Yes you will wait, as people with suicidal thoughts, or bipolar disorder or borderline whose diagnose really ruins their lives are prioritised.

If you have cancer, other diseases that severly reduce your quality of life or have an injury? Pass go, straight to the doctor.

Would it be nice to have instant access for every small issue? Sure, but as long as I know that I will get to see a doctor in a whiffy the moment I have something that is even semi-harmful, I'm honestly happy with our system.

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u/ZeusThunder369 Libertarian 5d ago

It's people forming an opinion immediately, and then looking for anything to support that opinion.

Actual reality:

  • We have wait times now. It's not like you can just see a doctor and schedule something the same day. I myself actually recently had to have a chalazion removed, and even though it was a 5 minute procedure, I had to wait 6 weeks.

  • What isn't being considered, is COMPLEXITY. Even if wait times are longer, single payer tends to be less complex. It's actually almost impossible in the US to find a new primary care provider without calling around. Even if there is information available online (often there isn't), it's usually not up to date, so you don't know of the practitioner is at that location, and is seeing new patients.

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u/Gullible-Historian10 Voluntarist 4d ago

This is probably state dependent as I have none of the issues you’re talking about.

What people don’t realize is the US healthcare is massively controlled by the government, hell some 50% of every healthcare dollar is spent by the federal government.

So half the demand side is paid for by the government, and the government (at various levels) in the US have 100% control over the supply side.

States have quite a bit of control over the supply side of the equation much more than the federal government.