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He could get excellent surgery in the UK (a stent placed in his heart) but why wouldn't he choose the US? He is a dual citizen and has an American girlfriend and his kids are US citizens. Yesterday he was on the beach in Miami with his kids. His US tour was to start this month. Seems that he has more ties to the US now. Everybody knows US health care is great--if you're rich.
You don't do a stent to repair a valve. A valve surgery is a little more complicated than a simple stent.
I would imagine that he chose Cedars-Sinai; another good option for cardiac would have been Cleveland Clinic or Texas Heart at MD Anderson.
There is plenty that can go wrong in a valve surgery, so I am sure he chose the best. In most instances, that would be a US hospital, not one in the UK. Ever wonder why the wealthiest people come to the US for healthcare? Because it is better.
He was already in the US, in Miami, on tour. He is not coming here for the surgery. It seems like it was a sudden unexpected need for surgery. Doctors had been advising him not to tour, but he tried to anyways.
Eta: So I see he was seen in Miami day after the announcement, not on tour yet. (It's late). Does it say where he was when he was getting the news from the doctor? The last time he was in the UK? Curious since it's a long enough flight to make me wonder when he got to the US.
Perhaps it was simply severe and urgent enough (certainly possible when dealing with things like heart valves) to not be able to take the longer flights to such places, and I would imagine that he could just pay for it outright wherever he may be?
Isn't it a long flight from Miami to New York? He isn't a US Citizen, in theory he could have easily flown back on a 9 hour private flight if he is already taking the time of flying from Miami to New York for the surgery.
I think the fact of the matter is that the US has some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world. The problem is, not everyone has access to it.
Why not Havana Cuba or Toronto Canada or London. Why would he come to the United States that supposedly according to many on this forum has an inferior medical system. I don’t get it?
So social medicine only works if rich people choose to travel to the country and have it? LOL
He didn't refuse treatment in Canada or Cuba for that matter.
He is choosing to have healthcare in the city he lives.
I don't think that's any criticism of health care in other countries or support for health care here in the USA.
In fact -- folks that talk about proving better health care to all Americans (what you call social medicine) often point out that the USA does have some of the best health care in the world -- if you are Mick Jagger (are rich and can afford it).
17 of the 20 best hospitals on earth are in the US and most of the top 100 are in the US as well.
No it isn't a long flight from Miami to New York -- especially on a personal jet.
Jagger has a home in New York City. While he is not a citizen of the USA (that we all know of), Jagger has many homes.
And of course USA has some of the best health care if you have money.
So social medicine only works if rich people choose to travel to the country and have it? LOL
He didn't refuse treatment in Canada or Cuba for that matter.
He is choosing to have healthcare in the city he lives.
I don't think that's any criticism of health care in other countries or support for health care here in the USA.
In fact -- folks that talk about proving better health care to all Americans (what you call social medicine) often point out that the USA does have some of the best health care in the world -- if you are Mick Jagger (are rich and can afford it).
Your whole argument is lame.
Britain has private heathcare, although only about 10% of the population bother to take it up.
It's actually fairly cheap because most major trauma and accidents are dealt with by the NHS Major Trauma Units and University Teaching Hospitals.
The only trouble with private healthcare is that it becomes more expensive the older you get and in terms of the amount of coverage.
For the record, while I still am and will always be a Canadian even with my American citizenship, I cannot at any time just pop back into Canada for treatment. That's not how the system works. Not sure what it is in the UK.
I would have to declare somewhere in Canada my principle resident and reside their for six months a year and have been there for so many months prior to getting 'free' health care.And because Canada's system is different in every province/territory -- I am not sure of all the details.
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