Mogal Mervyn, Not at home base - hence cannot format this msg appropriately.
Re your statement that your medical info remains in your doc's office and that the docs get paid through your taxes, I was almost reminded of o senhor Churchill from Fatorda. The next time you have a chance to visit your doc, ask him the following question: "What forms do you or your office have to complete in order to get paid, and what information to you place on it, albeit in the form of numbers aka ICD codes"? Also, ask him what steps he has to go through in order to order (say) an MRI....and WHO decides to approve or not. BTW: I believe that I am fortunate to work in the best possible hybrid system of health care. Those who can afford it - are seen in private offices,, those who cannot - are seen in public facilities. As expected, the number of patients in the two facilities and wait times are different. The best part of this hybrid: once the senior docs complete their work in the public offices, they see a limited number of pts in their private offices. The advantage of this is that both the system and the patients have access to the same expertise and same level of care. Thus far, there has been no shunting of pts from public to private and all the docs I know give their best to both sets of pts. All this provision is done, thus far, without income or sales taxation.....though, sooner or later, some form of VAT will come because of external (WTO) pressure. best jc