[AmerLisa]

Originally Posted by Thydney Not anymore they do a yearly 'MOT' at most doctors now

Sold I'll be moving over there asap!

Actually I've been putting little bugs in my husband's ear about possibly moving because I miss my family immensely. That would be the only reason why I'd move back and not because healthcare is better or any other rose tinted reason.

[Jerseygirl]

Originally Posted by Thydney Not anymore they do a yearly 'MOT' at most doctors now

I've heard that too...as well as age related check ups and tests.

My MIL goes to the chiropodist once a month and has done for years to have want amounts to a pedicure without nail polish. Before anyone asks she is not diabetic...she has problems with dry skin on her feet and corns.

[jumping doris]

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl Or the doctor sends the bloodwork etc to labs which aren't covered by your insurance.

Or you use the hospital that is in network with your insurance comapny only to find most of the doctors working there are out of your network.

In Pittsburgh, where I live, healthcare is dominated by UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center).
Nearly all of the big city hospitals are UPMC and they are gradually scooping up everything outside the city. Sadly, UPMC don't take my insurance and increasingly we are having to travel further, we have much less choice and the choices we have seem very inferior to UPMC.

[AmerLisa]

Originally Posted by Thydney I love the US system I sold my house and all it's contents to pay for it. I particularly like the way your employer can sack you for being ill and cancel you insurance.

I'm betting that it can be done in the UK as well.....the plus side is you don't have to worry about insurance. However, you do still have to worry about your other obligations should you lose a job because your ill. My husband's company did have a very good sick leave in the UK - much, much better then here. However, the companies that I worked for over there did not. I would have been out of luck.

In saying that, our neighbor just went back to work at his company and same position after being off work for 9 months and being paid disability. He has a union job, so perhaps that makes a difference.

[Thydney]

Originally Posted by AmerLisa I'm betting that it can be done in the UK as well.....the plus side is you don't have to worry about insurance. However, you do still have to worry about your other obligations should you lose a job because your ill. My husband's company did have a very good sick leave in the UK - much, much better then here. However, the companies that I worked for over there did not. I would have been out of luck. In saying that, our neighbor just went back to work at his company and same position after being off work for 9 months and being paid disability. He has a union job, so perhaps that makes a difference.

You would never lose your house to pay for medical stuff. You also have some legal rights to your job whilst you are sick and you would get sick pay from the state and free medicines etc

[AmerLisa]

Originally Posted by Thydney You would never lose your house to pay for medical stuff. You also have some legal rights to your job whilst you are sick and you would get sick pay from the state and free medicines etc

Yes I know you would get sick pay and free medicines.....but certainly if you can't make your monthly mortgage, nor pay car payments, etc.....you're not going to be in a very good situation. Regardless if your sick or not.

[jumping doris]

Originally Posted by Thydney Not anymore they do a yearly 'MOT' at most doctors now

My middle daughter is 18 years old (I was a child bride) and our GP surgery started doing Well woman, Well man and well child annual check ups the year she was born.

[Englishtart]

Wow! what happened in here

I think, as has been said, that a lot of confusion, scaremongering and bad press is going to put a big spoke in the wheels of any nhs type health care here in the US, at least for the near future, it's sad that people refuse to, or are too lazy to do the research on it, instead they just close their mind to any change in 'their comfort zone'.

I have come to the conclusion, that if things don't change here, we will probably move back to the UK after hubby retires.

[Bradford Lass]

Confused Yankee is probably even more confused now.

The bottom line is...If you already have a system that works for you then that is great for you, the US system for healthcare is the same as for everything else - selfish, so currently healthcare in the US is rationed according to how much money you have, the kind of job you have etc.

In the UK everyone has the right to healthcare if you have a lot of money you can buy private healthcare but it will be provided by the same doctors who were trained in the NHS.

If you like paying for insurance companies paperwork then the current system is fine. The fact that there is a whole industry on medical billing that does not exist in the UK should show you something.

If you are scared of socialism then write to your congressman to demand that the military is privatised immediately.

[Dan725]

Originally Posted by Bradford Lass Confused Yankee is probably even more confused now. The bottom line is...If you already have a system that works for you then that is great for you, the US system for healthcare is the same as for everything else - selfish, so currently healthcare in the US is rationed according to how much money you have, the kind of job you have etc. In the UK everyone has the right to healthcare if you have a lot of money you can buy private healthcare but it will be provided by the same doctors who were trained in the NHS. If you like paying for insurance company executives' parties and bonuses, and CEO's golden parachutes then the current system is fine. The fact that there is a whole industry on medical scamming that does not exist in the UK should show you something. If you are scared of socialism then write to your congressman to demand that the military is privatised immediately.

Fixed it for you

[ironporer]

Originally Posted by Giantaxe Don't forget the socialist sidewalks in most places

The problem with socialized medicine, social security, sidewalks, librarys, schools, police, fire, coast guard etc etc is thatthe capitalist system must eventually pay for everything- and those compainies must compete in a world economy where other companies do not have to pay for such a burden.
The evil capitalist companies who Obama and his ilk like to maligh at every opportunity are the ones who make cars, insure people, operate trucking lines or sell doughnuts. Anyone who has ever had a buisiness of their own understands how tough it is to run a profitable company while paying their ever increasing tax burden, and their employees (and the taxes they must pay just for the right to employ someone).
Many countries like Spain, France, UK, etc are beset by huge bugetary problems caused by their committments to their social safety networks, low or negative population growth and increasing costs etc. And anyone who thinks that any country's Government bearuocracy can run anything more effeciently than a private company is living in la-la land.

Why are so many Americans afraid of Government run health care? We see what a wonderful job they do of f**king up everything else they do, from processing a passport (2 months, $200) to educating kids (average cost per pupil in the US= $11,000) to delivering the mail (OK, personally I am pretty happy with the USPS), to the whole Visa Process (some here might relate). We also share a high distrust of our government, cuz our bums still pucker from all the other times 'they are going to help us". I personally like the idea of a national medical care system, but I also know that whatever they do, they will just make it worse in the long run, and buisiness' will suffer, which means layoffs and more unemployment.

And no, I do not watch Fox news, or Listen to Limbaugh, Hannity or Beck for more than 5 minutes a day...and yes I do think that the others (CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC etc) are as biased toward the left on most issues as Fox, Limbaugh etc are to the right. But at least those admit that they are biased to the right

[Giantaxe]

Originally Posted by Englishtart No this isn't about which 'Country' is better, but which health system, can you at least admit that the NHS is better than the Private health care System, for most people?

I have a feeling hell will freeze over first.

[Giantaxe]

Originally Posted by ironporer Why are so many Americans afraid of Government run health care?

Oddly, Americans seem more satisifed with largely single-payer Medicare than with private health insurance.

But, I think you make a fair point. An NHS-type system will never ever happen in the US. It is simply too much of a cultural anathema. What is sad is that opponents of change latch on to stereotypes, stigmas and fears ("socialized medicine" etc) and downright mistruths (about the NHS, for example) to block any and all change to the system.

[fatbrit]

Originally Posted by ironporer The problem with socialized medicine, social security, sidewalks, librarys, schools, police, fire, coast guard etc etc is thatthe capitalist system must eventually pay for everything- and those compainies must compete in a world economy where other companies do not have to pay for such a burden. The evil capitalist companies who Obama and his ilk like to maligh at every opportunity are the ones who make cars, insure people, operate trucking lines or sell doughnuts. Anyone who has ever had a buisiness of their own understands how tough it is to run a profitable company while paying their ever increasing tax burden, and their employees (and the taxes they must pay just for the right to employ someone). Many countries like Spain, France, UK, etc are beset by huge bugetary problems caused by their committments to their social safety networks, low or negative population growth and increasing costs etc. And anyone who thinks that any country's Government bearuocracy can run anything more effeciently than a private company is living in la-la land. Why are so many Americans afraid of Government run health care? We see what a wonderful job they do of f**king up everything else they do, from processing a passport (2 months, $200) to educating kids (average cost per pupil in the US= $11,000) to delivering the mail (OK, personally I am pretty happy with the USPS), to the whole Visa Process (some here might relate). We also share a high distrust of our government, cuz our bums still pucker from all the other times 'they are going to help us". I personally like the idea of a national medical care system, but I also know that whatever they do, they will just make it worse in the long run, and buisiness' will suffer, which means layoffs and more unemployment. And no, I do not watch Fox news, or Listen to Limbaugh, Hannity or Beck for more than 5 minutes a day...and yes I do think that the others (CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC etc) are as biased toward the left on most issues as Fox, Limbaugh etc are to the right. But at least those admit that they are biased to the right

Er.....no.

[Xebedee]

Sod the bleedin healthcare debate.

Do we really have to put up with this cr@p ?????? :curse::curse: