A Usenet persona calling itself BCITORGB wrote:

Scott leads us through some convoluted reasoning:
================
She need only wait till the money's available or her parents can find a
charitable program or hospital to do the surgery pro bono. In Canada,
it's
not possible to take out a loan or get a grant and get the surgery done
in a
timely manner, so what was an acute injury will turn into a chronic
disability due to lack of timely medical care that may cripple the
child for
life.

Is it likely that as people with
insurance arrive, some "bureaucrat" in the hospital will priorize and
thereby establish a "waiting list"?

Nope. The priority is set by the patient.

Nope. If it were, the girl would get her knee surgery.


Can you assure me that, under the American system, the teenager will
get immediate attention,

Yup.
===================

You assure me she'll get immediate attention, but earlier you said
she'll get attention when the money becomes available. I established in
my scenario that the was NO insurance and let's say, no money.

How is the priority set by the patient. Sauppose she says: "I want to
be #1." Does that make her #1? Of course not. And who tells her she
can't be #1? Likely some hospital bureaucrat. Hmmm.... sounds like what
you describe the Canadian system to be like. At least in Canada, her
condition determines her priority.

Difference is that if she doesn't like the priority given to her based on
her income, she can seek out another service provider willing to put her
higher on the list. Canadians can't.
--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

"I love the Internet, I no longer have to depend on
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© 2005 Scott Weiser