A friend shared this (click to read) and being in the position I am in now, I thought it worth giving my comments. You should definitely read the article first before reading my comments.
Overall I would agree with this writer's assessment, but there are a few things that are not entirely accurate.
First of all, I'm not sure what doctors surgery he was using in the UK, but you CAN chose your own appointment. Of course, they can tell you what times they have available, and it may be "limited" compared to what you realistically want, but they wouldn't tell you "this time only". I have already had to deal with the insurance companies here in the US numerous times, and have had to visit the doctor, and I can tell you it IS a headache. Even once you get past the bureaucracy of insurance companies, when you get to the doctor you need to have remembered your insurance card, ID, and yup, money.
Wait times when IN the doctor's surgery though, I disagree with him. At home and here in the US I can honestly say it has varied either way. It all depends on the day, the time and the doctor themselves. I think it would be inaccurate to suggest you get seen instantly in the UK over the US. I find it interesting what he says about emergency room wait times. I haven't had too many emergencies in my time, and thankfully none in the US so far, but I agree, if I had to wait more than 4 hours, I'd be tearing my hair out.
One thing that can affect wait times in the US over wait times in the UK that he failed to mention is that in the US, everyone uses the same hospitals and the same doctors. Whether you're paying insurance or receiving medicare/Medicaid or some other assistance, you sit in the same waiting room as those with insurance. Not too many people have private insurance at home, but when they do, it's a whole other world. If I paid privately and ended up in an NHS hospital, I'd be demanding a refund from my insurance company.
Finally, on the point of cost. No the NHS isn't "free". It does come from government taxes, but it is free at the point of use, and if you have no job, no money and need care, you still receive the same care as everyone else. Even if you do work, if you make very little, you're not paying any more than anyone else, it's all relative. Taxes are by % of earnings, as with anywhere else in the world. I have never once paid for a single doctor or hospital visit in the UK, and trust me I've had many of them. I've been in the US 4 months, and I've already had to pay $30 to see a doctor - and I HAVE insurance!
No system is perfect, and no system will be so any time soon, but I do desperately hope the US can get its act together with the socialised healthcare system, because currently, it's a mess.
Dan.
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