I unintentionally got your blood pressure up there. Didn't mean too imply that ours was better or worse. Truth be told I envy you your access to Mayo. I'm going with the best available to Canadians (as you say I have no choice anyway really) and was very lucky to get in in six weeks. From my research the facility has a good reputation so I'm hoping for the best.
Travel can't be avoided in my case as I live 1000 miles into the frozen north.
I have some experience with the U.K. Irish system as well and I know what you mean. There's nothing quite as heartrending (or entertaining) as a trip to a rural Irish hospital, although I'm told that the larger centers are better. I spoke to a family there who sold their home to pay for heart surgery for the father. Tragic.
Our system seems so random sometimes (my daughter had a six hour surgery within four days of discovery: my father waited three years for knee surgery) very much depending on the doctors triage. As Vasospastic patients can testify, doctors don't always get it right.
A note that you may not be aware of (to bolster your argument) Canadians and U.K. Citizens who can afford it tend to buy addition extended health insurance anyway. Doesn't shorten the wait list but covers a nicer hospital room, meds, that sort of thing. So I'm paying through taxes for the public system and privately for extended care. Don't know how the cost would stack up against what you pay but it would be interesting to do the math.
I don't know anything about your system other than an American dentist friend who loves his HMO and a movie I saw years ago with Denzel Washington. Not meaning any disrespect here but a lot of Canadians don't pay any more attention to American politics than we would to European (although there are many who are commendably better informed than I am).
Our political system is so messed up that's it's a full time job just keeping up with it. Can you imagine a Senator appointed to the position for life who is under no obligation to show up and has no influence on policy anyway? Even the brits made the House of Lords elective.

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