- RAMQ is our 'free' health system here and it stands for Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec...

I hate to concede with my friend

On this point, but he's absolutely

Right:  universal health care

Is not so great - at least, it hasn't

Been in the last near decade now.

We're short of doctors 'cause they're

All arriving at the age of retirement,

And there aren't enough around

Now to fill their vacant positions,

So waiting times are out of

Control, services have simply

Become mostly inadequate, and

It's so difficult to have your health

Seen to when it actually needs it.

Pain can't wait, for example.

Took over a year to see my first

Specialist, still waiting a year

And a half on for a genetics test,

And I've been referred to a team

Whose waiting list is two-three years.

The Chronic Pain team, that is!

I can say that it's very discouraging,

'Cause while I wait, I'm on my own

To deal with why I'm being referred

There, and it's not clear what I'm

Meant to be doing in the meantime.

I've been on the waiting list for

A family doctor since Sept 2019,

And it's not looking either like that's

Going to be resolved any time soon.