By my rough math there are 200 new patients (population growth) for every new doctor since 2004. Pre 2004 the ratio was @400 people/patients per doctor.

I thought immigration was going to be a factor. But immigrants account for all population growth since 2004 (@52m), which is the 200 per patient number so that's not it.

You didnt comprehend what I said.

Instead, it appears that youre seeking to find something that fits your predetermined bias, ie) immigrants.

Good luck with that.

You said there's a shortage of doctors. The math says the opposite is true - there are more doctors per capita in 2025 than 2004. You are incorrect.

Yes, I had a preconceived notion. And I said the math proved it wrong. Your characterization of me is wrong.

FWIW, there were @48 people over age 65 for every doctor in 2004. In 2025 that ratio increased to @61 people per doctor. So yes, more old people but not enough to easily explain the 50% increase in delay for being seen/treated by a doctor.

Also, after the ACA the uninsured rate dropped from about 18% of under-65 to about 10% of under-65. Getting that number down to 0% is likely to create more wait times.

dajo9 said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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More factoids:

> 10% of UK's population - 7.4 million (out of 68M) people - are on hospital wait lists.

The average wait time for hospital treatment in the UK is 3.5 months.

The average wait time to see a specialist in Germany is "several months"

In Canada it takes a median of 27.4 weeks to go from Specialist referral to treatment.

In Spain the wait time is over three months for a specialist appointment and 121 days for surgery

Wait times for specialists in France:

• Ophthalmologist: 80 to 190 days.
• Dermatologist: 61 to 126 days.
• Cardiologist: 50 to 104 days.
• Gynecologist: 44 to 93 days.
• Rheumatologist: 45 to 96 days.
• Dental surgeon: 28 to 67 days.
• Pediatrician: 22 to 64 days.
• Radiologist: 21 to 48 days.

I honestly do not know the answer but I am certain it is not going purely to a single payor system like exists elsewhere. That is rationed healthcare and that will work even worse in the US with our 2 party system that is completely incapable of ever having spending controls or eliminating government programs.

Sometimes I think more market based solutions. Sometimes I think a hybrid system where a Medicare for all covers preventative care type stuff and people purchase buy up plans. I don't know. It is a highly complex system / problem.

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I recently scheduled to see a urologist. I have to wait about 2 months and that is after changing doctors (3 months wait) because i wanted to see a doctor this year because I have hit my deductible this year. So by changing doctors I can shift costs from me to the insurance company (does that make any sense?). Why do Americans pretend this is not a problem in America?

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I need surgery for a hernia from my previous stomach surgery. My doctor referred me to a surgeon in Portland. After waiting for 9 months for a video consultation, it was cancelled an hour before the appointment. They told me to schedule an appointment with another department. I've been trying to schedule an appointment with them for about 18 months, but the scheduler is always "busy with another call, but will call me back within 3 business days". I'm still waiting. 30 months I've been waiting. Waiting and now I'm finally asking my new primary care physician for a different referral. Fortunately, my hernia isn't growing and isn't considered urgent, but I'd still like to have it taken care of sometime during this decade. I'm sure I'm not a unique case and I do consider this a problem.