You are both correct in saying that below-market payments give doctors less of a reason to offer their services. As a result, when doctors offer fewer services, regardless of the influx of new patients, then the longer waiting times take place.
I’m just picking on the author for leaving out this crucial step in his argument.
And because of your input, I must revise my argument that it is only the influx of new patients that result in longer waiting times. When doctors offer fewer services, this also contributes to longer waiting times.
Friend of mine lives in the UK. The way the system works there, he says, is that when you make an appointment for say 10:00 AM you arrive to find a roomful of patients with the same appointment time. So you get treated maybe 2-3 hours later. Everyone who can afford it has another private plan which allows regular scheduling like we have. Some of the same doctors do both.
I guess that’s why plans proposed here won’t allow dual systems like this.