Bingo
>> “and it is even better in the optional “private” system.”
> Bingo
Yup — bingo. But like I said, we have both. And the private system would truly suck if we didn’t have the public system, and vice versa.
Why? That’s easy: the private system focuses on treating the high-profit maladies: like hip replacements, most elective surgery, &tc. The expensive, hi-volume-lo-margin stuff? Fuggedaboutit!
Sure, they will cover it: but the premium differential makes it more worthwhile to get your cut finger or your broken leg treated in a public Casualty ward.
Acute injury? 100% of the time you will begin in the public system: that’s just how it is geared. You can get your private room on your private insurance once they’ve stopped the bleeding...
Chronic? Depends upon when you took out your private policy (ie before or after you became chronic) and whether you have an exclusions waiver. You could end up either private (if you are lucky) or public (if you are less lucky).
Elective? It’s usually nicer to go private if you can afford the policy. If you don’t mind perhaps having to wait, you will save lots of money and get just as good treatment by going public.
Like I said, we have both available, and it is really good that way. But it has taken years to build the infrastructure, and it would be really difficult to do in the US. But if you *could* have it, you’d be crazy not to.