[selchie]

This view is from a Yank, where only the poorest people qualify for subsidized health care: I think of socialized medicine as a health safety net - it makes sure that everyone can get basic health care, no matter what income level. I like this idea. There have been times when I've been uninsured, and hoped to goodness that my health remained good. However, even if we set up residence in NZ, we plan to get private insurance. I believe it would broaden the quality of health care in terms of such things as procedures allowed, physician choice, wait time for appointments and procedures.

I knew an elderly man in NZ who had a medical problem for years. The doctors took ages testing him for this and that, but didn't figure it out until it was too late. I suspect that if he hadn't had to slog through the public health system, he might have been diagnosed sooner, and possibly have been helped before the problem killed him.