For someone who acted all high-and-mighty about their own system, you certainly judge harshly. I've worked in hospitals on both coasts in two major US cities, and I really don't see what everyone is on about.
I've rarely seen a patient fall through the cracks because in the majority of cases the physicians do their job and look after the welfare of those that trust them. There are exceptions and small anecdotes of failure, but the majority of the time the system works for everyone.
Social darwinism how? I've dealt with a metric ton of patients without insurance
who weren't even citizens who have received the standard of care. What in god's name are you blabbering about? Are you saying we turn patients away and let them languish otherwise? Are you saying that the medical system here
purposely and with full knowledge is committed to large scale negligence? You're gonna need to back that up with something apart from strong language.
Six days is not the average for Canada, it's more like 72 days (see:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2384253). 106 versus 72 is still not exactly pretty, but there are other factors like physician density as well as the fact that rushing to the OR is not warranted in every case. It may not be better, but it's certainly not much worse. Also, where did you get 106 from anyway? (I was able to find a 106 day time point. For Canada, that is:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11522831_How_long_do_patients_wait_for_elective_general_surgery)
Every system has it's problems, but I think that a privatized system that distributes healthcare judiciously is far superior to anything the government puts out. My personal experience with the government and their programs is horrendous, and trying to sort out medicare coverage for patients on the phone is more painful than any procedure. This is what I've gathered from working in hospitals and conversing with staff. I have plenty of stories of my own from physicians and nurses who've worked in socialized systems, and it's overwhelmingly negative. Mainly the complaints are poor compensation, restricted procedures, and restricted medications.