Socialized Medicine in Japan: “The doctor will see your bribe now”

Hot Air – “VIP” Treatment Under Nationalized Health Care:

After such nice treatment as she got for her knee and her stomach, my mother never forgets to send “gifts,” typically cash and premium liquor to the doctors, expensive chocolate to the nurses — and of course, something extra special to my uncle, her brother. She was laughing that after her hospitalization, she spent more money on gifts than the actual medical bill. That means over thousand dollars of, let’s be honest, bribery.

Read the whole thing to see how Japan’s socialized medicine system works in practice, including long waits, with access and care according to who you know and how much supplemental insurance you’ve bought.

Via Insty.