smeg

Agreed, I got lucky with my medical insurance being so good, and coming with my job. Which is why I said everyones milage will vary. The US system isn't all bad, and can work for the right situations. The NHS isn't all roses and light, but would work great for some situations.

My experience was the NHS sucked, and the US system worked great

anotherlimey

Why doesn't someone create a not-for-profit health insurance company?

For me personally, I think because health insurance companies are run to make money for their owners the patients care isn't their top priority.

Bob

no money in it

RoB1833

Had a baby last month, we pay $400 a month insurance and are looking at a bill of $1800 because of deductibles. Nice way to start with a new baby - being in debt. Give me the NHS any time!

Elvira

How very true. As for 'the accountant' and his 'package': we have what is probably one of the best 'packages' available.

Last year we (family of 5) paid over $16,000 in deductibles, co-pays and 'not covered events'. Granted, this does include dental (DH needed a couple of implants), but still...

How many of you have ever stood behind a 'retired person' at the pharmacy who asked the pharmacist which of her various prescriptions were 'essential' and which ones she might be able to 'do without'? Happens all the time.

Sickening!

scrubbedexpat099

I had a cycle accident in Sri Lanka and one in Surrey.

Sri Lanka involved operation, god knows how many stiches, and the treatment was superb, building a bit crap but not the real point. $600 for a 4 day stay all inclusive.

Surrey, we will not go into.

The NHS have no idea I am out of the country. And anyway all you have to do if you want to play by the rules is to return as a resident. Nothing to stop you changing your mind and leaving again.

Likewise a US spouse, just need to get her immigrant status before going over, takes a day, yet again nothing to keep you there.

Taxes etc is a fairly pointless issue, hardly anything in the UK is hypothecated
anyway, whatever they call it.

AmerLisa

My grandmother refused to pay for her very essential medicine to prevent her from having another stroke....it had went up $30 a month, and she just couldn't afford it. Yeah it makes me mad, very mad. Especially when I know my husband's grandmother is practically the same age, living in a retirement flat and has a cleaner (paid by the government) come in once a week to help. All in the UK. And certainly doesn't worry about prescriptions....she doesn't have to pay anything.

Bob

which is why there's quite the boomin' trade in precription tour holiday buses in maine for oap's to hop the border to canada for day trips and to pick up cheap prescription drugs, but Bush is making that illegal...

snowbunny

Compassionate conservative, right? My ass.

gooner81

Having a Not-for-profit on the surface sounds good but its almost impossible to get due to the nature of medical cover. There is no way the company could come up with a price that would restrict them making profits and if they tried they would only end up bankrupt because they are never going to know who and how much will need to be done each year which is why they have to charge such high premiums and make profits. Don't forget these a high percent of these profits will stay in the company as retained earnings in case they have a bad year one year and have to pay a huge amount in medical expenses.

gooner81

Ok here's what i don't understand. I understand the decuctable's bit but don't most good job's have medical cover that has no deductibles due to being in their benefit that you are fit and well to do your job. If the job does only cover say 80% then isn't there an option to upgrade your medical package from your place of work and pay the difference, thats certainly what i would do.

I had a quick look around at prices for me and my wife and maybe because we are young i found a a package with no deductables for around $380 per month for both of us NOT each, however my mother-in-law said with the kind of jobs we are after we will get good health cover anyway.

tony126

Personally I cannot grumble about my NHS treatment, and I have had a few operations, plus cancer plus heart attack. I spent my first time in an American hospital last November for a THR. A couple of weeks ago I phoned for an appointment for my 6 months check up. How about tomorrow at 2-15 was the reply. That is the difference to me.

scrubbedexpat099

That's cheap.

Many Americans are one serious illness away from Bankruptcy

Many bankruptcies have a medical cause

Many of those had medical insurance

Coming from the UK, it is difficult to get your head around it. Just the way it is.

My wife used to work for a major IT company, I was amazed at how much she still incurred even allowing for good coverage. OK, nothing major in relative terms but then nothing major in the way of illness.

Bob

Most places of work will offer differing packages, but these days, they are cutting back on the medical, so a lot of places offer HMO's which suck balls.

Depending on how senior you are could be the difference between how much you have to pay for deductibles before you get 100% coverage.
MIL has $100 before they get 100% coverage, but she's paying half her teachers salary for it and wouldn't change to the newer HMO contracts which are shite.
Doesn't have dental or optics though.

I do, pair of glasses and lenses, I still had to pay $126, but without insurance, would have cost $450

Dental, getting teeth cleaned once a year is free, without insurance, $150
A checkup and x-ray $250, a filling $100-250...and for that we have 80% coverage...and that's really good because a lot of places don't offer dental and optics insurance...
So you break your glassed and break a tooth falling off your bike and it'll be one expensive fall, if you have to go to ER because of a broken leg...ouch on top of the pain...

Elvira

In case you guys haven't seen this, here is a bunch of Yanks discussing the relative merits of the 2 health care systems:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=10349.0

"If you were faced with a serious, even life-threatening illness, and you had the choice, would you prefer to be treated in the UK or in the USA?" was the question asked...