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What Healthcare is Better? Korea, UK or Canada?
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FDNY



Joined: 27 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 3:47 pm    Post subject: What Healthcare is Better? Korea, UK or Canada? Reply with quote

I'll probably retire in one of these countries. Which one has the best healthcare? I've read the UK has two week waiting lists to see a GP and by the time you've seen an oncologist(if you need one) you'll be dead. I've also heard the Korean system is fine until you get something major. Then you're hit with big bills. Also, if you're undergoing something painful Korea sucks because they don't like prescribing opiates. As for Canada, I don't know what it is like these days. In uni I spent six weeks in the hospital for a broken leg. Didn't pay a dime. I was also uninsured at the time of the accident. They just backdated my coverage. Nice.

I didn't include the US here because I have absolutely no interest in living there and I think everyone knows about American healthcare.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:07 pm    Post subject: Re: What Healthcare is Better? Korea, UK or Canada? Reply with quote

FDNY wrote:
I'll probably retire in one of these countries. Which one has the best healthcare? I've read the UK has two week waiting lists to see a GP and by the time you've seen an oncologist(if you need one) you'll be dead. I've also heard the Korean system is fine until you get something major. Then you're hit with big bills. Also, if you're undergoing something painful Korea sucks because they don't like prescribing opiates. As for Canada, I don't know what it is like these days. In uni I spent six weeks in the hospital for a broken leg. Didn't pay a dime. I was also uninsured at the time of the accident. They just backdated my coverage. Nice.

I didn't include the US here because I have absolutely no interest in living there and I think everyone knows about American healthcare.


UK, Canada, Korea in descending order.

The issues with the UK system are similar in Canada. Independent studies usually rank the UK ahead of Canada in terms of accessibility and cost (for those under 65).

You can reverse the UK/Canada order after age 65.

Korea does not have universal health care and there is a lot that is not covered or has very high co-payments (US style). It wouldn't be my retirement option.

.
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Captain Corea



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For me, it's a toss up.

Korea - cheap prescription meds. Easy access to testing. But lack of confidence in medical staff.
Canada - free services. Confidence in medical staff. Expensive meds.
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jazzmaster



Joined: 30 Sep 2013

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scotland - a week wait to see a GP, free healthcare, instant help for emergencies, long wait to see specialists for chronic conditions, free prescriptions for students, unemployed, and the elderly.

It's not perfect but make of it what you will.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Captain Corea wrote:
For me, it's a toss up.

Korea - cheap prescription meds. Easy access to testing. But lack of confidence in medical staff.
Canada - free services. Confidence in medical staff. Expensive meds.


I wouldn't say cheap meds are a positive - theyre not very well regulated/tested as far as i know and probably not all that safe.
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crescent



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: yes.

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now that I have been living in Canada for about 6 months, and both my wife and I have had some intense experience with the system, I can now understand the frustrations and lack of confidence the rest of my family has with medical care here. I've been hearing stories for years during my time in Korea and kept thinking it was worse in Korea. No. Way.
Almost everyone I have remained in touch with in Canada has a story or two depicting absolute buffoonery.

My father would still be alive today if the hospital he was admitted to a few years ago would have performed emergency surgery instead of waiting for his vital organs to become critically septic.


Last edited by crescent on Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Hokie21



Joined: 01 Mar 2011

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

le-paul wrote:
Captain Corea wrote:
For me, it's a toss up.

Korea - cheap prescription meds. Easy access to testing. But lack of confidence in medical staff.
Canada - free services. Confidence in medical staff. Expensive meds.


I wouldn't say cheap meds are a positive - theyre not very well regulated/tested as far as i know and probably not all that safe.


The vast majority of the cheap med's I've received over here are major name brands, Pfizer, Merck, AZ....and they were much cheaper than the generics you'd get in US. Seemed safe enough to me.
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Beeyee



Joined: 29 May 2007

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The UK's healthcare is 3rd world standard.

I've known of 3 people DIE whilst waiting to see a specialist or have surgery. One of them was diagnosed with stomach cancer and told to wait 2 months until the next surgery slot opened up. He died before the scheduled date.
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cam83



Joined: 27 Jan 2013
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

UK for me... although you can go private (which is the case in Korea), in the UK, you will always be on the NHS... people complain about the long waits, but that's because it's free so everyone is waiting. Plus even if you're unregistered, homeless, or a foreigner you still get treated.

My avg waiting time for a GP was usually within 45mins. Not sure about surgery waiting lists in general but I only waited a week (non emergency).

Am I right in thinking Korea doesn't have family doctors? or keep you medical history?
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To think that those would be my only choices is enough to make me want to off myself now.
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Aine1979



Joined: 20 Jan 2013
Location: Incheon

PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I never had a problem getting a same day emergency appointment with my GP, or within a few days for a non emergency appointment.

The UK has a red flag fast track system where any suspected cancer patients are seen by a specialist (and usually given the results on the same day) within 2 weeks of their GP referring them. An oncologist only gets involved when they're on the treatment pathway, and again this is done via a fast track system.

For all other appointments to see a consultant, the targets are 4 weeks for urgent (non cancer) cases and 9 weeks for routine cases. To meet these targets, NHS trusts regularly send patients to private clinics, or private hospitals in the case of inpatient procedures.

The NHS in the UK is by no means perfect, nowhere is, but it's better than the paid healthcare services in the majority of countries. And it's free.
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Usurname



Joined: 21 Oct 2011

PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

crescent wrote:
Now that I have been living in Canada for about 6 months, and both my wife and I have had some intense experience with the system, I can now understand the frustrations and lack of confidence the rest of my family has with medical care here. I've been hearing stories for years during my time in Korea and kept thinking it was worse in Korea. No. Way.
Almost everyone I have remained in touch with in Canada has a story or two depicting absolute buffoonery.

My father would still be alive today if the hospital he was admitted to a few years ago would have performed emergency surgery instead of waiting for his vital organs to become critically septic.


Is there a way you can pay more money and get fast service?
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Usurname



Joined: 21 Oct 2011

PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beeyee wrote:
The UK's healthcare is 3rd world standard.

I've known of 3 people DIE whilst waiting to see a specialist or have surgery. One of them was diagnosed with stomach cancer and told to wait 2 months until the next surgery slot opened up. He died before the scheduled date.


Can you pay extra and get faster service?
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Who's Your Daddy?



Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.

PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Usurname wrote:
crescent wrote:
Now that I have been living in Canada for about 6 months, and both my wife and I have had some intense experience with the system, I can now understand the frustrations and lack of confidence the rest of my family has with medical care here. I've been hearing stories for years during my time in Korea and kept thinking it was worse in Korea. No. Way.
Almost everyone I have remained in touch with in Canada has a story or two depicting absolute buffoonery.

My father would still be alive today if the hospital he was admitted to a few years ago would have performed emergency surgery instead of waiting for his vital organs to become critically septic.


Is there a way you can pay more money and get fast service?


Private insurance coverage is banned. If you want to pay 100% yourself, you can get treatment in the US (or elsewhere). A large problem is there are long wait list for organ transplants. If I were in that situation I'd go overseas and pay (maybe Korea, but probably not the US - too expensive.)
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Usurname



Joined: 21 Oct 2011

PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Who's Your Daddy? wrote:
Usurname wrote:
crescent wrote:
Now that I have been living in Canada for about 6 months, and both my wife and I have had some intense experience with the system, I can now understand the frustrations and lack of confidence the rest of my family has with medical care here. I've been hearing stories for years during my time in Korea and kept thinking it was worse in Korea. No. Way.
Almost everyone I have remained in touch with in Canada has a story or two depicting absolute buffoonery.

My father would still be alive today if the hospital he was admitted to a few years ago would have performed emergency surgery instead of waiting for his vital organs to become critically septic.


Is there a way you can pay more money and get fast service?


What about Mexico? Aren't they cheap?

Private insurance coverage is banned. If you want to pay 100% yourself, you can get treatment in the US (or elsewhere). A large problem is there are long wait list for organ transplants. If I were in that situation I'd go overseas and pay (maybe Korea, but probably not the US - too expensive.)
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