U.S Health Care Vs. U.K Health Care

[jmking]

Originally Posted by SAI126

Very true that our health care costs have gone through the roof. There is not enough space and time to get into that. In 1979 I had a pretty good job that did not offer health care benefits. When our son was born, I had to pay. I was able to do it in less than a years time. If I were in the same situation today, it might bankrupt me. As for life expectancy according the latest figures males in the UK live an average of 76.23 years, women 81.3 for an overall rate of 78.7 years. In the US the numbers are 75.15, 80.97 and 78.06 respectively. Hardly any great difference. I know we live in a very timid PC world but longevity, crime and a variety of other data pertaining to the US can be skewed because of the vagaries of our very diverse population. I have nothing against the UK, Europe or anywhere else for that matter, but you can all keep your nationalized health care systems. It does very much matter to me that I was saved and am healthy today because of what my country's advanced medicine was able to give me. Every day I ponder why so many in the so called advanced nations of the world think that increased centralization, and bureaucracy will solve all the ills of the world.

I started my working career in 1971, so I remember when things were so much different. You truly could pay out of pocket and insurance was much less expensive. But I'm afraid the CEOs and their sales staff demand 6 and 7 figure incomes amongst other issues like someone daring to make a claim and those annoying sick people.

[qjane82]

It really depends on your situation and where you live. In some places in the US the poor still get treated alright while some horrendously. Anyway I highly recommend watching this program Sick Around the World by Frontline. It's not perfect but it's a good place to educate oneself about the issue. FRONTLINE: sick around the world | PBS

They also have a Q&A section (FRONTLINE: sick around the world: q&a with correspondent t.r. reid | PBS):

How did you choose the five countries featured in this report?
Two of our choices, Britain and Japan, were pretty obvious. I had lived in both countries, I had doctors there and knew the systems. I could speak the language, sort of, in both places.

Beyond that, we were looking for examples of each of the established models of health care systems. The U.K. uses the Beveridge model; Taiwan has chosen the Canadian-style National Health Insurance [NHI] model; Germany, Japan and Switzerland use the Bismarck model. We went to three Bismarck countries on the theory that these private-sector systems are more relevant to America than a British-style National Health Service.

I got interested in Taiwan because Taiwan's Health Ministry did what our film does; it traveled the world studying health care systems. In the end, Taiwan chose the Canadian model. We went to Switzerland because it is a ferociously free-market economy with politically powerful insurance and drug companies. But still, the Swiss managed to revamp their system, making it cheaper and fairer. We thought that might inspire Americans to believe that change is possible here, too.

[Tamzyn]

Originally Posted by SAI126

Very true that our health care costs have gone through the roof. There is not enough space and time to get into that. In 1979 I had a pretty good job that did not offer health care benefits. When our son was born, I had to pay. I was able to do it in less than a years time. If I were in the same situation today, it might bankrupt me. As for life expectancy according the latest figures males in the UK live an average of 76.23 years, women 81.3 for an overall rate of 78.7 years. In the US the numbers are 75.15, 80.97 and 78.06 respectively. Hardly any great difference. I know we live in a very timid PC world but longevity, crime and a variety of other data pertaining to the US can be skewed because of the vagaries of our very diverse population. I have nothing against the UK, Europe or anywhere else for that matter, but you can all keep your nationalized health care systems. It does very much matter to me that I was saved and am healthy today because of what my country's advanced medicine was able to give me. Every day I ponder why so many in the so called advanced nations of the world think that increased centralization, and bureaucracy will solve all the ills of the world.

There are too many people with this attitude in the US. They all believe that the US has a superior health system compared to the rest of the world. When I was 16 I was diagnosed with a blood clot .. my doctor made me go to the hospital. The next day it moved to my heart and I nearly died. I was saved because of my NHS doctor and the hospital that fought for my life. When I tell this story to people over here in the US, I'm often left with the response of 'Poor you .. I bet you wish that you had been here when that happened, I know what medical care in Europe is like'. I hate that, you don't know what it's like in Europe and can't you see hat I'm standing here infront of you today alive??

[Cornerguy1]

Yet another thread that started out as a discussion on British preferences and opinions that has become a discussion about US health care.

Closed