Thydney

I meant state benefits not PPI

Giantaxe

I think most understand that. But, as per usual when the subject is US healthcare, you choose to obfuscate the argument at hand. Thydney's underlying point was that in the US, people frequently lose their house (and /or declare bankruptcy) to pay medical bills whereas in the UK that almost certainly would never happen. It's a pretty basic difference that for some reason you choose not to acknowledge. The fact that people (in both countries) may lose their jobs because of a sickness really isn't relevant to this specific difference, especially as even in this case the consequences are likely to be far less dire in the UK.

britvic

Who's picking It would appear that people who dont live in the UK or were even born there question what we as British/English know about our Mother Land.

AmerLisa

Yet you insist on making my very simple point more then it is.....per usual. I assure you that was the only point I was trying to make. But you must always see a mystery novel when there isn't one there to write. Perhaps a Sherlock Holmes fetish?

AmerLisa

State benefits to specifically save your house, pay your mortgage?

Jerseygirl

Yes...it's been happening for decades.

Englishtart

pretty common occurrance in the UK

Ash UK/US

Thats to avoid so many forclosures and the country having to take out massive loans with China to bail people out after the fact!

AmerLisa

Wow, that's great. But I'd be interested to see how that can stay afloat. Seriously, how can the government afford to pay an ill person's mortgage for months on end? How does that work? Surely it can't go on for years on end?

AmerLisa

There's already a lot of foreclosures going on in the UK - thankfully not to do with medical problems.

Ash UK/US

actually pretty smart when you think about it... they can pay £120 per week to a land lord or pay £120 per week on a mortage which will leave something to show for the money and something to take pride in.

Englishtart

They usually pay interest only, to stop the banks from re-posessing the house, but it is a far more sensible way to keep people in their own homes. Probably cheaper in the long run than paying for their living expenses in a hotel etc...yes, that happens in the Uk too

Ash UK/US

True but there would be more if people had to worry about medical debt... which by the way is the biggest cause of bankrupsy [sp?] in the US.

AmerLisa

Yes I know about paying the hotel bit.....just never heard of paying mortgages. But it would still only be a limited time, surely? Certainly make more sense to put someone in a council house/flat.

Sally Redux

Why are you trying to be so smart about this? It's pretty clear you won't go bankrupt to pay medical bills in the UK.