Originally Posted by Bob (Post 9126001)

You can also have wonderful treatment, but also still have massive wait times in the US too, or find that you cover is cancelled and there's nothing you can do about it.

Anyway, personal anecdotes don't really mean much, anyone can find good and bad stories for either, but it's the whole picture which matters, and that's the basic blanket level of cover.

But if we are going to play the anecdotes game, my mother who's 72 recently broke her wrist, was at the hospital and seen within minutes, had a whole body scan and the density stuff etc within the hour and was able to leave a couple hours later. On the other hand, cousin in the US who has great employer benefits, when their kid just broke his arm, he waited in the ER for 5 hours to get seen. When he did get seen, they did the scan and cast very quickly, checked it again a couple days later and had to reset the bone and do more stuff, all very good care.

Completely unfair comparisons though, because my mother fell over 10am on a Tuesday morning, Cousin's were at the ER on a Friday night at 6pm.

Originally Posted by Gabgoeshome (Post 9126099)

I am not sure why you took just a bit from my post and quoted it ? :)

My main point was that to get the wonderful treatment, one needs good insurance in the first place -something that is out of the reach of many Americans .

Women in their 50's having to doctor themselves is a disgrace ,the UK might offer long surgery wait times (with a copy of Womans own from'82 ) but at least they will get seen !

I know you were not debating that fact BTW :) I just wanted to add .

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 9126104)

Are the wait times really that long in the UK? Again it's anecdotal, but all my family members over there have received very prompt treatment recently.

Originally Posted by Gabgoeshome (Post 9126113)

No ,I don't think they are actually (I left in 2005 ) .

I was just giving an example of the 'horrors ';) I often get asked about by *some * of my American friends when talking of healthcare in the UK .

Originally Posted by Giantaxe (Post 9126075)

The problem in the US isn't so much the elderly - who have access to Medicare - but more those that are under age 65 who have little or no insurance. Being without insurance in the window between, say, 50 and 65 is very very scary in the US, both from a medical and from a financial standpoint. Once you reach Medicare eligibility, you're in relatively good shape in the US imo.

Originally Posted by lansbury (Post 9126128)

Which goes against the growing old in the US doom and gloom merchants. Unless you class growing old as being from 50 onwards. Personally I class it from 65 onwards, what is IMHO normal retirement age.

Originally Posted by lansbury (Post 9126128)

Which goes against the growing old in the US doom and gloom merchants. Unless you class growing old as being from 50 onwards. Personally I class it from 65 onwards, what is IMHO normal retirement age.

Originally Posted by Gabgoeshome (Post 9126099)

I am not sure why you took just a bit from my post and quoted it ? :)

Originally Posted by ian-mstm (Post 9126172)

I really have nothing to add. I just wanted to say that if that's your real photo... I think you look really cute! :)

Ian

Originally Posted by traceym (Post 9123568)

You think think after so many years away from the UK the NHS is better? They die to soon because they can't afford the healthcare or because they didn't plan for it?

I sound aggressive, truly I'm not being, I am just very interested in why people think the UK is better?

Originally Posted by ian-mstm (Post 9123532)

As well they should be. Once you allow your rights to be usurped, it's the end of civilization as we know it.

Ian

Originally Posted by Derrygal (Post 9122740)

OMG - I can't believe what I'm reading - so you would have absolutely no qualms about shooting someone dead?

Originally Posted by Desdemona (Post 9126149)

Medicare works very well in this country. Just ask the seniors. The next move is to get the same facilities for everyone else in this country. The current administration is working on it.

Originally Posted by Nutmegger (Post 9125933)

Any connection to self-deprecating?

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 9126056)

:confused: In other words you were replying to her post.

We've seen so many come and go on here, telling us what to do when they haven't even left Britain, when you get here maybe I'll listen to your lectures.