damn shame you can't all migrate to Oz. We complain here about our Health system but it's heaps better.

Last year I went to emergency twice - neither visit cost me a cent. Tho I had to pay for the ambulance the first time as I don't have private health cover. By-the-by, lots of uninsured folks (seniors, welfare) are covered for ambulance, but I'm not old enough!

The second time I got a taxi, & this time was eventually diagnosed as my very irregular problem showed up on the monitor!

I was on a heart monitor & had blood tests both times, I was Xrayed the first time, as they tried to sort out why my heart was racing at times & I felt bleh (that's the only way I could describe it). Turns out the electricity in my heart very occasionally is very irregular & a small Beta-blocker sets things right.

However the private visits to the Cardiologist who works at the hospital cost money, and our universal health scheme, Medicare does not over the lot. We have a "Gap" that we are expected to pay unless Doctors bulk bill (= accept what the Govt says the service is worth, always less than the Medical professional bodies say so most don't bulk-bill). So we pay the bill, send it to Medicare & get a rebate.

Fortunately we also have an annual Safety Net, when we get a lot more back after reaching a threshold, so the gap is then tiny, or maybe non-existant. I spent so much, maybe $1000 (I can't remember exactly what it was) last year & didn't have to pay the lot.   

We also have understaffed hospitals, long waiting lists for elective surgery, & horror stories about folks waiting for treatment in emergency, but it is so much better than the stories you are telling.

good luck on getting a proper health services.

sandra