In Australia private medical insurance gives us the ability to choose our own specialists and have timely surgery if needed. It also has gives us extra benefits with dentistry, podiatry, optometrists. physics etc. But, @joanstewart the medical insurance is very costly, we pay even though we are very healthy and well, it is like all insurances, a what if thing.
But, if people are relying on public hospitals then they are likely to have long waits for operations and dentistry etc. We hear terrible stories of what goes wrong in public hospitals, but there are people who not have a choice.
I believe that medical insurance and the public hospital debate is very common in every country.
I am sad to hear that greedy people are misusing the money so needed to the public hospital system.
All the best @joanstewart.