Do countries with universal health care make their patients wait longer than those countries without it.

Question

i hear countries with universal health care make people wait much longer to get treatment than those countries without it. but i recently watched the movie "sicko" where a guy goes to countries with free health care like canada, france, and cuba and askes random people if they ever had to wait a long period of time before receiving attention and they all said that they never waited longer than an hour in a hospital waiting room. i just don't know what to believe and was hoping to get a straight answer from someone living in a country with a universal health plan. thanks to all who answered.

Answer 1

II live in Canada and wait times depend where you go like a major city and what time of day.  Emergency rooms tend to have a lot longer waits on weekends when walk in are not open and people can't see there regular doctors.  The system is not perfect but I never have worry when I take my child to the emergency about the bill.  I can just worry about my child.  I walk in get treatment and leave.  There is no stress, everyone is entitled to the same care.  You get every test you need and the medical attention. You can be homeless and get the same care as the rich man in the next room to you.

Answer 2

Government controlled health care means rationing of health care.

There is a reason that people with enough money go to countries that do not have government controlled health care for their health care.

Answer 3

i live in canada, i had to wait like 2 hours once and this was at like 1 AM because my ear had some huge infection. i went to a pretty main busy hospital though and if i went to a different one im sure the wait time would be shorter.