I’m American and in addition to our messed up healthcare system. Teeth are simultaneously so important that I have to see a specialist (dentist) for routine care, but so unimportant that it’s not included in my healthcare coverage. Is it like that elsewhere?
In Australia we also consider teeth to be luxury bones, so they aren’t included in our health care
It’s a miracle the emergency department is still free with the way our country has been going.
I had a lipoma removed for free under Medicare a couple of years back, much to the shock of at least three doctors who insisted that it couldn’t be done.
Mind you, now I’m 20 months into a 90-day waiting period to have my gallbladder removed…
I feel you. I’m near that for three protruding discs in my neck with one pushing on my spinal cord.
12 months to see a hospital physio who got me in front a surgeon the next day, he wondered how I was still walking. 9 months later, im still waiting for something to happen next.
I think dental, hearing, and vision should be covered by a government program. But I am in the US, we are still fighting to get socialized healthcare.
Even healthcare in the US isn’t healthcare. I’m in the US.
I’m in the UK. We’re covered up to 18, then again if you’re pregnant or I think a year after birth. Apart from that medical care is heavily subsidised, so say a root canal is £230 or something like that, but anything cosmetic is private and pricey.
That’s true in theory, but less.so in practice. In our area there are no dentists accepting adult NHS patients so unless you’re registered already then your only option is to go private. This seems to be increasingly common and is making dentistry private by the back door.
Sadly not in Canada, but the Federal NDP party is pushing for it. They don’t have much power here, but they recently worked with the Liberals (current government) to at least partially cover dental care for people with lower incomes, as I understand it.
So for Canada at least, the answer is No, with a tiny sliver of Yes.