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TheRealMafoo on 09 March 2010
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Lord Flashheart said:
highwaystar101 said:
oldschoolfool said:
highwaystar101 said:

National healthcare is a good thing if it works, like it does in many European countries... But the USA's government couldn't organise an piss up in a brewery (without it costing $1.2 trillion anyway).


I've heard different things about national healthcare in Europe. Long waiting lines,people dying before they can get an appointment. Out of control budget in Europe. That's just what I've seen on the news. Samething in Canada.

Highwaystar101's life tip #1462 - Everything you read and hear in the news is complete pile of crap.

We get horror stories about the healthcare in the UK too, stories about people dying before they see a doctor, people in queues for hours. Let me tell you something, it's bollocks. Those stories do not represent the status quo, they are for the most part isolated cases that the media has sensationalised to sell papers and gain viewers.

It makes better news than "Everything is A-OK".

Fair enough it's not as efficient as private, but it's a good system. I rarely find I have to wait too long to see a doctor.

 

Let me second that. Good positive news does not sell. Especially in the UK. Everyone I've known has not had any big problems with the NHS. I won't pretend it's perfect but those with problems have only been minor.

You also have the option of going private in the UK. Bupa which was started up at the same time as the NHS to offer an alternative for those willing to pay which I believe is now the owner of the 4th largest private medical insurance provider in America but I can't find the link where I read that. All I know is they own Amedex.

If you do get the proposed health care bill you will still be able to go private.

This is from your own government health department:

In Patient:
The number of patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, waiting over 13 weeks at the end of January 2010 was 67,700, an increase of 10,100 (17.5%) from December 2009, and a rise of 22,100 (48.4%) from January 2009.

Out Patient:
The number of patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, waiting over 8 weeks at the end of January 2010 was 74,100, which is the same as December 2009, and a rise of 28,200 (61.5%) from January 2009.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_112795