> I always point out to my wife that an expert with a financial benefit in the advice they are giving you is potentially more dangerous than an amateur.
Indeed. In my country we have a public healthcare system. I also have private insurance, which I use sometimes because you can get consultations and tests much faster; but I wouldn't do anything invasive with the private insurance before getting an opinion from a public doctor first. The incentives aren't well aligned in private healthcare. For me, the combo (trust diganoses from the public system more, but use private when convenient) seems to work well.
Public healthcare doesn't cover dentists, though, and to be honest, from other people's experience, I don't trust them much. I haven't visited one in over 20 years, and so far I haven't experienced pain or any other annoying symptoms other than some slight gum bleeding once per year or so which seems to resolve by itself by brushing and flossing more thoroughly than normal for a few days. I know it's risky and this may come to bite me later. Fingers crossed.
Indeed. In my country we have a public healthcare system. I also have private insurance, which I use sometimes because you can get consultations and tests much faster; but I wouldn't do anything invasive with the private insurance before getting an opinion from a public doctor first. The incentives aren't well aligned in private healthcare. For me, the combo (trust diganoses from the public system more, but use private when convenient) seems to work well.
Public healthcare doesn't cover dentists, though, and to be honest, from other people's experience, I don't trust them much. I haven't visited one in over 20 years, and so far I haven't experienced pain or any other annoying symptoms other than some slight gum bleeding once per year or so which seems to resolve by itself by brushing and flossing more thoroughly than normal for a few days. I know it's risky and this may come to bite me later. Fingers crossed.