American's take on British medical services.

[MajorRewrite]

It's worth remembering that the most basic principle of Insurance is that the losses of the few will be paid my the many contributors. Entirely Socialist in basic concept.

Entirely capitalist in basic concept. Businesses hedge against risk using insurance all the time.

 

[TravisAW]

Years ago, I experienced the NHS and they charged me nothing. I was seen quickly and treated.
However, now days based on my UK friends experience the NSH, esp for serious issues and it all depends on where you are, how good your gp is, etc… if you need a specialist/consultant, it can be a long wait until you see one. Some of the home nursing staff are dingbats and it’s very slow to get home pt and ot, like several months if at all after hospital Discharge. In the US, it usually takes a week or less to start.
Now I am on Medicare an and b in the US, it is government insurance and I haven’t had a problem with it yet. There are more preauthorizations needed but they are faster than in private insurance and I get what need. There is a max out of pocket of $2000 for medications which is great for me.
I’m the UK, many of my meds are not available on NHS.
It’s a crap shoot.

I'll take "UK friends that don't exist" for $500 please Alex.

A few examples of family interaction with the NHS this year:
My grandchild was born earlier this year and we were seen immediately and with absolutely zero fuss or cost. Follow up midwife visits to home were free and carried out in a timely manner, including medication for baby's momma as required.
My MIL is under treatment for arthritis. All appointments in good order, all tablets and injections free, all visits followed up by consultation with her own GP after to check on her.
My father had a heart attack, was rushed into hospital, treated including stent fitted. Two follow up visits and recovery consultancy

Total cost: nothing.

 

[AlexBailey]

A friend who works in social services is having episodes of high blood pressure ~ > 180/130 She’s been seeing a doctor and going through medication adjustments through her job provided insurance coverage. She ended up needing an emergency care visit when her BP spiked to nearly 200.

They took her in and gave her a pill, monitored her vitals and sent her back to work when she got below 180/130 again. Her share of the bill after insurance is $2600: more than half of her gross monthly pay.

Most Americans wait until that are certain they need medical attention before going in to a doctor or hospital.

Got a recurring pain that you want checked out?

 

[Noor]

I'll take "UK friends that don't exist" for $500 please Alex.

A few examples of family interaction with the NHS this year:
My grandchild was born earlier this year and we were seen immediately and with absolutely zero fuss or cost. Follow up midwife visits to home were free and carried out in a timely manner, including medication for baby's momma as required.
My MIL is under treatment for arthritis. All appointments in good order, all tablets and injections free, all visits followed up by consultation with her own GP after to check on her.
My father had a heart attack, was rushed into hospital, treated including stent fitted. Two follow up visits and recovery consultancy

Total cost: nothing.

I speak with 2 of those nonexistent friends almost daily and another who I will be once they recover from serious illness.
I also have other long time friends in the UK.
You know what they say about assuming…

 

[Bray123]

It's worth remembering that the most basic principle of Insurance is that the losses of the few will be paid my the many contributors. Entirely Socialist in basic concept.

The difference between National Insurance in the UK and Private Insurance in the US is profit.

Yea for glorious capitalism, adding cost to the end-user (you).

Oh, also in the US the companies employ people to refuse treatments for patients already approved by doctors, to increase glorious profits.

 

[Saltfountain]

I can't think of one thing I've gotten for free that was worth a shit.

I had cancer.

I spent most of 2021 in hospital, having 8 operations.

At no point did I have to:

Pay upfront
Ask whether my insurer would agree to the treatment
Worry about losing my house
Contemplate the prospect of bancruptcy

In UK, good quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And it's free.

And I no longer have cancer

 

[Saltfountain]

Why would people want to agree to be taxed on their earnings if they don’t want to use something?

Why would people want to pay health insurance if they are not ill?

 

[MajorRewrite]

550,000 Americans are driven into bankruptcy by medical costs every year.

 

[HisArpy]

I had cancer.

I spent most of 2021 in hospital, having 8 operations.

At no point did I have to:

Pay upfront
Ask whether my insurer would agree to the treatment
Worry about losing my house
Contemplate the prospect of bancruptcy

In UK, good quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And it's free.

And I no longer have cancer

How many years of higher taxes to cover your "free" medical did you pay before you spent those 8 months in hospital?

 

[Wonderer67]

Every system and country has its trade offs. There is a cost to everything.

I was in Canada last week and my colleagues were telling me about the state of healthcare there.

It is not fast. However, it’s little to no cost.

The American system is irreparably broken. There’s too much fucking money to be made, unfortunately.

If you lose your job, you better stay healthy, or else you’re fucked.

Medical bankruptcies is one of the top reasons for bankruptcy in this country. With medical inflation, soaring, I don’t see this getting better anytime soon.

 

[Saltfountain]

How many years of higher taxes to cover your "free" medical did you pay before you spent those 8 months in hospital?

I'd much rather have higher basic taxation and no worrying whether my cancer was going to be treated as opposed to an accountant deciding if I was financially viable

 

[HisArpy]

I'd much rather have higher basic taxation and no worrying whether my cancer was going to be treated as opposed to an accountant deciding if I was financially viable

So, what you're REALLY saying is; it's not "free." Right?

 

[Bray123]

How many years of higher taxes to cover your "free" medical did you pay before you spent those 8 months in hospital?

How many years of medical insurance did your employer pay before you tried to claim and then had it refused by some unqualified clerk?

How many billions does the insurance CEO get paid out of the premiums?

How much does a military vet get in medical benefits 18 months after Trump has fired them to make some political point?

 

[HisArpy]

How many years of medical insurance did your employer pay before you tried to claim and then had it refused by some unqualified clerk?

How many billions does the insurance CEO get paid out of the premiums?

How much does a military vet get in medical benefits 18 months after Trump has fired them to make some political point?

THE POINT, numbnutz, is that "free healthcare" isn't EVER "free."

Or haven't you figured that out yet?

And here's the major issue you're missing; which is total submission on your part to doing whatever the government wants you to do. Your mantra of "free" everything only shows the world that you prefer being a slave instead of a man.

Freedom literally starts with the word "free." When you have to beg the government for food, healthcare, or whatever; you're not.

 

[Saint_Ann]

I had cancer.

I spent most of 2021 in hospital, having 8 operations.

At no point did I have to:

Pay upfront
Ask whether my insurer would agree to the treatment
Worry about losing my house
Contemplate the prospect of bancruptcy

In UK, good quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And it's free.

And I no longer have cancer

My cancer bill was up around 80 grand. I probably paid a couple grand. I don't have cancer either ...well, not that cancer.

 

[MajorRewrite]

So, what you're REALLY saying is; it's not "free." Right?

His higher taxes to pay for UK healthcare are 50% lower than what Americans pay for insurance.

So it’s certainly not free, but it is far less expensive than our system.

 

[MajorRewrite]

My cancer bill was up around 80 grand. I probably paid a couple grand. I don't have cancer either ...well, not that cancer.

If you think employer-paid health insurance is free, think again. Employers pay employees lower salaries because of the high cost of insurance premiums.

 

[Bray123]

THE POINT, numbnutz, is that "free healthcare" isn't EVER "free."

Or haven't you figured that out yet?

And here's the major issue you're missing; which is total submission on your part to doing whatever the government wants you to do. Your mantra of "free" everything only shows the world that you prefer being a slave instead of a man.

Freedom literally starts with the word "free." When you have to beg the government for food, healthcare, or whatever; you're not.

Did I mention or even hint that it was 'free'?

You need to improve your reading as well as your legal skills.

 

[JohnEngelman]

Countries with socialized medicine pay less per capita than Americans for health care and get better results.

 

[HisArpy]

Did I mention or even hint that it was 'free'?

You need to improve your reading as well as your legal skills.

Lol, you're still doing your level best to keep being the asshole.

 

[TravisAW]

National Insurance contributions are a percentage of your gross salary - based on the average UK salary of £39,000, your NI contribution would be £2114.40.
Employers also pay NI contributions but they cost nowhere near what private health insurance costs.

But there's no limit on hospital visits. Breaking a leg one year, COVID hospitalisation, cancer, childbirth, minor injuries, car crash victim, the lot. What if the driver of the car that hits you is uninsured? They are getting gripped by the police and you're treated regardless.
Lose your job then fall and break your arm? Not a problem, get treated.

 

[Bray123]

Lol, you're still doing your level best to keep being the asshole.

So, no reading skills.

 

[Bray123]

Something that won't happen in a civilized country: A company selling fake medical products donates $2.5m to Trump's Golden Shithouse. In return they are allowed to continue raking money from Medicare.

https://popular.info/p/update-medicare-freeze-beneficiary

 

[HisArpy]

National Insurance contributions are a percentage of your gross salary - based on the average UK salary of £39,000, your NI contribution would be £2114.40.
Employers also pay NI contributions but they cost nowhere near what private health insurance costs.

But there's no limit on hospital visits. Breaking a leg one year, COVID hospitalisation, cancer, childbirth, minor injuries, car crash victim, the lot. What if the driver of the car that hits you is uninsured? They are getting gripped by the police and you're treated regardless.
Lose your job then fall and break your arm? Not a problem, get treated.

So, not free.

Which means the social advertising for it is phony.

Which is called fraud in most parts of the world.

 

[Bray123]

So, not free.

Which means the social advertising for it is phony.

Which is called fraud in most parts of the world.

Only brainwashed MAGATS ever say it's free. Improve your reading skills.