But shouldn't we be thinking about whether we need to go to the doctor (or the ER) or try to self medicate? It's easy to spend someone else's money, not so easy to spend yours. It's all a judgement call.
In my experience (Canadian), people don't go rushing off to the doctor for the fun of it, even when it is paid by our taxes. It's still a pain, and it's a chunk out of your day, and waiting rooms are no fun at the best of times. I certainly think about whether I need to...
1. Call TeleHealth to speak to a nurse.
2. Go to the Emergency room and sit in a plastic chair for an unknown amount of time (anywhere between 20 minutes to six hours, in my experience).
3. Check the wait times for walk-in clinics in my area, and figure out how to get to the one that looks most reasonable (business hours are 9am to 5pm, usually). Then go sit in a plastic chair for three hours.
4. Arrange an evening appointment at my doctor's after-hours clinic (assuming I can call early enough).
5. Call my doctor and book an appointment for next week.
All in all, if I can deal with something at home, I will. It's really not that easy or pleasant, to spend someone else's money.
But the difference is, I
never have to choose between paying rent or getting a test. So, I get the test. And hopefully, anything that's wrong with me gets caught early and dealt with while it's still easy to treat. Which should save the system money!
