Exactly. Specialist wait times in Canada are often exaggerated by special interest groups.

A few years ago, my family doctor noticed something concerning. I was seen by a specialist within a week, and was in the operating room a few days later. It was a potentially serious situation but not immediately life-threatening, yet I still received fast and efficient treatment.

There are longer wait times for high-demand procedures affecting 'quality of life', but that is the nature of triage.

The important part is that the whole episode cost me nothing more than a few sleepless nights, while a friend in the US who went through a similar process and spent a similar time waiting for surgery ended up with substantial medical debt.

Not the person you're replying to, but: Belgium. I haven't lived there for more than 20 years, but until 2000, one of their big issues were medical overconsumption. As in: there were too many doctors and specialists, and it was considered too easy to get medical attention.

But for those who needed it, it was fantastic. And the quality of care that I experienced there was on par or better with what I get in the US.

I don't think much has changed. I just went back, had a very minor medical issue, and within 2 hours after making my first call, I had see a primary care physician, who wasn't 100% sure, so she called in the specialist next door as well.

South Korea