One reason I love Belgium is because of an experience my wife and I had there on a recent visit. My wife had developed stomach pains and wanted to see a doctor.
We found a doctor close by and walked into his office unannounced.
As we walked in we noticed differences between his office and what we were used to in the U.S. We were not greeted by a large fish tank filled with tropical fish. Chairs in the waiting room did not match but were perfectly serviceable. We told the receptionist we would like to see the doctor but had no appointment. She said “fine” but we would have to wait our turn. We were not given a ream of papers to fill out. No paperwork at all.
The doctor soon escorted us to his office.
After a good and unrushed exam he went to his cupboard and got some pills and said “try these-they should work.” No charge for the pills! My wife then told him that her foot was sore. She thought she might have a broken toe. The doctor felt around the toe and said it was not broken, only bruised. Here at home we would doubtless have been sent down the hall or somewhere else for an x-ray. Not so with this doctor. He advised what to do and he was right.
By now I was liking Belgium more and more—but like turned to love when the doctor told us the charges: “just 24 euros(about $32) he said, “same price as citizens.” My wife only had a 50-euro bill. The doctor pulled out his wallet and made change and then personally escorted us to the door. This is an example of so called “socialized medicine.”
Did I tell you one reason I love Belgium? I love Holland and New Zealand for the same reason
