I have a new theory about the waiting lists for medical services. I think the government can’t afford to cover expensive procedures, but it’s too deadly politically to refuse to offer them, so the government reduces access to the service as a means of saving money.

This week my daughter was diagnosed with a condition that will require intensive therapy. The waiting list is 9 months to get a hospital authorization for the therapy, then another year after that waiting to get the actual service. In the mean time, of course, we will have hired private therapists (at a cost of about $1,000 a week) and by the time our daughter clears the waiting list, hopefully she won’t need the help anymore.

I wish I had realized what was really going on before I spent four hours on the phone today trying to arrange services for her. But I wonder what happens to the kids whose parents don’t have the $1,000 a week?

Related posts:

1. Waiting in Line
2. Comment from an STM maintenance worker
3. Daycare freeze
4. This time it’s for real
5. Waiting