Comments on: NHS Love Letter

By: Nicole

Nicole — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:50:17 +0000

I concur! I love the NHS.

Hope you’re feeling better btw! Been sending you good e-thoughts.

By: A Free Man

A Free Man — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:09:52 +0000

Hear hear! Having recently made the jump from the UK to Oz, I’ve realized just how outstanding the NHS is. Oz, like almost every Western nation, has government health care but not to the NHS standard. One of the things that I miss a lot about Britain.

Of course both are far better than the nightmare in the States.

By: the bad aunt

the bad aunt — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:34:33 +0000

my husband had a hip replaced. Just the surgeon’s fee alone was $22,468.00. My insurance paid $1975.00 and made the surgeon “write off” the rest ($20,493.00).
I just don’t get it! Surgeon overcharging, insurance underpaying. what would it cost us if we didn’t have insurance?

By: NS

NS — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:13:47 +0000

Andrea — I will consider it when a national health care system is in place. You get right on that, ok?

Emms — Do you think the NHS wants our kisses? What if we give it MRSA? Hee hee!

Lyn — The average income tax rate is about 30%, give or take 5-7 percentage points based on level of income. There are definitely some problems with overuse and abuse of the system but I don’t think that it’s a MAJOR issue. I do think they could make it a bit more difficult for people to get appointments for a runny nose or other minor ailments that don’t need treatment but the doctors sort of make up for that by being less interventionist and taking a more hands-off approach to care than some in the US seem inclined to do. They won’t order a blood draw or a diagnostic test for every little thing, if they think it’s something that will blow over they will just wait and see what happens before taking any further action. I think maybe patients in the US tend to expect more to be ‘done’ when they are seen because they are paying for it out of pocket and if a doctor doesn’t order some kind of med or test they are more likely to be accused of ‘not doing anything’ and that’s how so many of them get sued, I’m guessing. The result is that they OVER medicate, OVER test, OVER intervene in some cases, which just makes insurance rates go up further, making it less accessible and affordable to those who really need it.

By: Lyn

Lyn — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:05:36 +0000

I agree that the US needs to have a national health plan. What is your average income tax rate over there? I am assuming it is much higher than ours here in order to provide the healthcare you are describing for every citizen. Are there any measures to control excessive use and abuse of the NHS? And are there laws to cap malpractice awards when things go awry in patient outcome? In the states no emergency room can refuse to treat a patient. There are clinics all across the country who provide care either free or on a sliding scale based on income. Our health departments provide immunizations free or for a small fee. Hospitals and other health organizations offer many health fairs with assorted free or low cost screenings. Pharmaceutical companies have programs to provide many free medications to low income citizens. Most big chain pharmacies now offer free or $4.00 anitibiotics. But most of the services above do nothing to help the working class who earn above the income guidelines to qualify for most of this care yet not enough to either afford insurance or its copays, deductibles, etc. The burden always falls on the back of the lower middle class citizens.