How the health care system in New Zealand works

Here's the way the health care system in New Zealand works, in a nutshell:

Emergency care is free; routine doctor's visits to your GP are heavily subsidized (cost is about US$20 per visit); most drugs are heavily subsidized (US$2 to $10 per course); most lab work is free; most in-hospital care is free. That's the so-called "public" system. The problem is that because it's free, the supply is limited, which means rationing. The existence of rationing is readily admitted by everyone. The impact of rationing is long waits. In my area, it can take 3 months to get an MRI scan, or up to 6 months to get in to see the one-and-only neurologist in town.

[[MORE]]To help make the system more palatable -- which also means providing it with badly needed money -- there is a parallel "private" system. Doctors can choose to offer some of their time on a private basis, or not. Most do, but some, like the neurologist I mentioned above, do not. Private fees are still reasonable by US standards: maybe US$45 for a 15-minute visit. There are also private hospitals, since docs aren't allowed to use public facilities for their private patients. Fees there are higher; closer to what they charge in the US. You can buy health insurance that covers private costs. Unlike in the US, pre-existing conditions are never covered by private insurance; there is no "time out" period. Insurance costs are moderate-to-low by US standards, and insurers are also much more picky about who they accept.

So, this all works OK if you only ever see your GP, get a few lab tests and a few prescriptions and maybe go to the emergency room once every few years. But as soon as you have anything complicated happen that requires a specialist or expensive test equipment like an MRI, then your care is rationed. The waiting times for certain surgeries in the public system is notoriously bad: 2 yrs or more in some cases. If you're lucky, and you can afford it or have insurance, then you can get private care. But private care isn't always available, and even when it is, there may still be a waiting list.