Private health insurance for over 65

Not sure where you got your information from, but it is incorrect, I don't have PHI, I use EPS, and I am registered with SURA which is one of the better EPS health Providers, as you say, I pay the 12% of 'declared income' monthly, the length of time it takes to get an appointment (which you can do online) depends on the number of people seeking an appointment, I can regularly get one the same day, or within three days, if my Doc is off on a course or holiday, I am given the option of seeing another Doc.
If you pay extra for the complimentary Plan, known as PAC, you have direct access to Specialists on the Health Providers list, again this can be found online, you choose which of the listed Specialists you want to see, make an appointment direct with the secretary and go, if then you need other treatment, the Specialist fills in an order and fires it off, which has to be approved by the Health Provider, in my case SURA, there isn't usually at quibble about it.
I can only compare the EPS system with the NHS in the UK, and the Health Service in Spain, I have no complaints.

Phil, thanks very much for that info! I had actually gotten the info from a report that I paid for, but clearly the report wasn't researched very thoroughly! Canada has waiting times too, but usually only a few days to see a doctor. Specialists are another matter! How much does your PAC coverage cost per month? Cheers, Susan