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It also should be noted that healthcare systems in Europe and across the world have been in post-Covid crisis, and the British healthcare system offers amongst the best value or money.
As for the NHS, it is investing heavily in new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) whilst the NHS is successfully dealing with any Covid backlogs, with new resources and a large investment in training and recruitment, as well as early diagnostics and it also should be noted that the UK healthcare system has performed very well over the last decade, and has been ranked quite highly in terms of international studies including those by the Commonwealth Fund, a US think tank.
As for the NHS, it is just one of many universal health care system models, and whilst Britain will continually evaluate it's system against neighbouring systems such as France and Germany, the principal of Universal healthcare is not under any threat, and the last system that most people outside the US would want would be an expensive US private for profit system, indeed nobody in the developed world wants a US type system, although in terms of US healthcare and other US domestic issues that is for Americans to decide, and I am not really that interested and as long as Americans are happy with their heath system then good for them.
The French and German system, which use a greater mix of private providers are also under strain, as are places with the most private input such as the Netherlands, where a number of private hospitals have closed, whilst the expensive Swiss private healthcare system has major problems, and problems related to covid backlogs, the current global energy crisis and cost of living crisis are not unique to the UK.
It also should be noted that the NHS is already a mixture of state provision, the private sector, the voluntary sector, academic partnerships etc and his mixture and partnerships may well be subject to some future change, however this does not mean the end of the NHS or the concept of Universal Healthcare for everyone, something which has cross party consensus in the UK As for different funding models have also been suggested including replacing national insurance with a new tax to fund the NHS and extra health investment.
In terms of my own experience with the NHS, it has been quite positive, and when I needed scans ad other tests they were done within days and I saw Consultants within a couple of weeks, although thankfully I did not have any serious health issues and I know other Brits such as easthome, have had positive experiences in terms of the NHS.
As for the New York Times, it seems to take any opportunity it can to put Britain down, however perhaps Americans would do better to do something about there own broken health care system, rates of crime and a deeply divided society rather than attack other nations and their domestic health systems or politics. It's also worth noting that numerous nations have healthcare and cost of living problems, yet the NYT's and US media seem to take great pleasure in singling Britain out.
The London Financial Times even reported in a recent article that these constant attacks on Britain may be due to America's own sense of insecurity and fear of decline, rather than anything to do with Britain, and some of the articles relating to the NYT or other US media outlets and political discussion programmes have bordered on the hateful and nasty when concerning Britain, which is rather pathetic and saddening, and it's little wonder that only 19% of Britons now believe in the so called 'Special Relationship'.
Last edited by Brave New World; 07-16-2023 at 01:51 PM..
Politicians in the US have been predicting the demise of Medicare and Social Security for decades. The fact is that it wont happen. Such an occurrence would have dire consequences for the government and society in general. People will just have to accept the fact that they will have to pay more for these benefits and in the case of the US government cut back on the spending in the armaments and military which takes a huge chunk from the Federal budget. Unlike Britain there is no home nursing for the elderly provided under Medicare. If you can find a nurse even the hourly going rate is around 60 dollars an hour.
I have no complaints about my health coverage as long as the day doesn't come when I need a nursing home. If I did then I would be looking at around 8 to 12 thousand dollars a month
Last edited by James Austen; 07-16-2023 at 03:14 PM..
Politicians in the US have been predicting the demise of Medicare and Social Security for decades. The fact is that it wont happen. Such an occurrence would have dire consequences for the government and society in general. People will just have to accept the fact that they will have to pay more for these benefits and in the case of the US government cut back on the spending in the armaments and military which takes a huge chunk from the Federal budget. We cant go on being the good guy defender of freedom in the world. The wealth that the US once had to spread around no longer exists.
As the Roman Governor Marcus Aurelius told the British people when he withdraw the Legions from Britain "You must now look to your own defences"
The Romans were a force of occupation, and I don't think they are comparable with US forces in Europe, and I don't think US forces have built any Colosseum's or engaged in any Crucifixion that I know of. I think US forces may however enjoy Wine and Italian food.
In terms of US forces most have left since the end of the cold war, and the remaining bases in Britain tend to be intelligence orientated, although there are a couple of US air bases.
As for Europe, it is cooperating in terms of defence, and is aware that Trump and other US politicians are not supporters of NATO, indeed Trump allegedly wanted to leave NATO and in recent week US politician Marjorie Taylor Greene (the AOC of the right) has both harshly criticised NATO allies and introduced several US amendments in Congress calling for the US to withdraw from NATO.
In terms of US forces in Europe they amount to around 5% of the US Defence budget, so are not going to achieve massive savings in terms of the overall US budget, however that's an issue for the US to decide.
As for Medicare and Social Security in the US, I am sure reports of their demise are over estimated, as they are no doubt popular with the electorate, just as universal heath care systems such as the NHS are popular with electorates outside the US.
Last edited by Brave New World; 07-16-2023 at 02:44 PM..
US healthcare system is pretty good as far as medical care goes.
The healthcare insurance systems sucks youknowwhat through a straw.
I rarely see anything written over here about your NHS system. Then again, I do not read the NYT.
When my wife took that nasty fall in the crypt at St. Paul’s 5 years ago, she had good care from the ambulance crew that transported her to a hospital ER.
The ER staff knew their business and had her stabilized so we could return home from our vacation early so she could have her surgery done here.
No charge from the NHS.
A single payer system with an ageing population is at some point going to break unfortunately. The nurses are already poorly paid in the NHS so there's no fat left to cut there. Either you ramp up taxes or move people into a quasi private system.
As most Ponzi schemes do, like the US Social Security & Medicare systems will unless radical changes are made.
No, I would not call it a ponzi scheme. The cohort of baby boomers entering old age will strain most healthcare systems, but where there is a single payer system there are going to be a lot of older people with the means to pay more for healthcare but unwilling to do so. Why would they? They are getting amazing value for money subsidised by the young through higher taxes and lower services.
This is not sustainable...
Quote:
More than 7.4 million people in England are waiting for medical procedures, everything from hip replacements to cancer surgery. That is up from 4.1 million before the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020.
As most Ponzi schemes do, like the US Social Security & Medicare systems will unless radical changes are made.
Changes have been made, that is causing problems NHS has today.
OTOH other changes have not been made which also is causing NHS problems.
Unlike say USA where healthcare umbrella covers both in hospital and rehab the two are distinct in UK under NHS.
Like USA and other countries successive governments both Labor and Conservative in UK have reduced number of inpatient hospital beds. This in keeping with near universal working theory that much care can and should be provided at home or in a care (rehab) facility.
Thing is in UK NHS only covers hospitalization. Local councils deal with care outside of hospitals (care homes, rehab, district nursing, etc...). As one might imagine not all councils have equal resources for out patient care/rehab and or aren't interested in spending more tax money in aid of.
When patients cannot be safely discharged to rehab/care or home care they must remain in hospital. That is issue plaguing much of NHS at the moment. Worse since there are fewer inpatient beds overall it is causing huge stresses upon system. Patients from emergency rooms cannot be admitted if there aren't beds for them and so forth.
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