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Socialized Medicine

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Since the USA is in a heated debate about socialized medicine, I would like to hear from any of you that feel like commenting on the subject. Since Britain has a lot of experience with the project, it might help some of us "Yanks" to hear your opinions.

So here is the poll, first...do you like the British Plan...yes or no, and then secondly, any comments you may have about it.

Geordie and I are probably the only one's (on the Forum) that can remember when Britain started their current plan, but since I was only 14 or 15 at the time, I didn't have much interest in it. It will be good hearing your comments.

Bob C.

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Since the USA is in a heated debate about socialized medicine, I would like to hear from any of you that feel like commenting on the subject. Since Britain has a lot of experience with the project, it might help some of us "Yanks" to hear your opinions.

So here is the poll, first...do you like the British Plan...yes or no, and then secondly, any comments you may have about it.

Geordie and I are probably the only one's (on the Forum) that can remember when Britain started their current plan, but since I was only 14 or 15 at the time, I didn't have much interest in it. It will be good hearing your comments.

Bob C.

Bob,

I think it is a good thing and is on the whole a generally good part of our society that does not get the praise it deserves. However it has become just too big, and is now a bottemless pit of made up titles and managers, which costs us billions, whilst the front line medical staff don't get the support they require.

The gradual increase in the private health care sector oevr here is definitely having a negative effect on the NHS due to the fact that like any other part of the private sector, it has grabbed most of the good staff and offered them better pay and conditions, so all that is left are the die hard carers who still believe in the system, or the not so good.

Maybe a bit of a harsh view, but certainly what I have experienced over the last few years.

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I do feel that the NHS is a wonderful thing and I am most grateful for their emergency treatment and A&E services which I have used countless times in the past few years for a plethora of reasons.

However, I am not content with the general service which it offers and so pay for private healthcare too which I have used in order to save up to six months of waiting time on various treatments and procedures. What I thought was absolutely ridiculous was that some of the various equipment which I've been involved with in the private sector is owned by the NHS. So the private sector are essentially leasing taxpayer's property...

The NHS, as Colin says, has been backlogged by paperwork, political correctness and poaching of staff for the private sector. I have had one major bad experience with the NHS which a lawyer friend of mine has told me that I could have sued them for a considerable sum. However, what is the point of suing the NHS when they are in so much debt as it is and I am, dare I say it, grateful for what it has provided so far? I just think that it needs a complete overhaul to ensure that its standards rise rather than deteriorate. I do think that this Swine Flu business will show the NHS's true colours in terms of organisation and cooperation, so far they've done quite well as far as the media portrayal shows.

So, all in all, I do like the British plan but it is in such a state that it requires a lot of TLC.

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I agree with Clive and Colin.

Also it is almost impossible to get a dentist around my area unless you go private.

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Colin, Clive, and Huss,

Thanks for the responses. They are very interesting, and much what I expected. Here in the USA we are still trying to sort it out, but I am not sure we are capable! LOL!

If anyone has any additional responses, please feel free to contribute.

Regards,

Bob C.

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Also it is almost impossible to get a dentist around my area unless you go private.

Private is the way to go apart from emergency treatment and GPs as far as I'm concerned. Private surgeons, dentists, opticians, physiotherapists et cetera all rate highly with myself. Higher quality service and a more rapid turn-around is what I'm after. After all, it is our health we're talking about... :rolleyes:

I look forward to seeing what others' opinions entail.

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I know where I usually live in the USA that we have lots of Canadians coming over for on demand medical treatment, if the wait in Britain is bad, in Canada it can be egregious - in some cases fatal.

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Scotty,

In the state North of Indiana (Michigan), that same thing happens, with people from Ontario coming across the bridge to Detroit for treatment, when they have an issue with Canadian treatment timeframes.

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Anyone who doesn't agree that the British NHS - for all its shortcomings - is an absolutely fantastic component of our society needs their head examining (on the NHS of course!)

We can so easily take it for granted - after all, it's been there longer than most of us - but we forget just what an awful situation there was before it came into being. The poor didn't get anything but rock bottom treatment, and generally avoided going to the doctor as they couldn't afford it.

The NHS has not only brought "free" medicine to everyone, they have sponsored research into all kinds of revolutionary new treatments and operations for all kinds of illnesses. Yes, can pay to go "private", but for all your BUPA subscriptions, you will be treated for serious operations by NHS consultants, using NHS equipment, as the private operatorS simply couldn't afford to set up on their own.

Just don't get me started on dentists, postcode lotteries, or N.I.C.E. however...

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Very nice thread.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Heal...rvice_(England)

Ive seen in the news that nhs employ million of worker I admire it they employ million and giving services, by tax from its worker itself is quite large just an opinion.

There salaries I dont know,most of the goverment who have a socialized medicine gets from taxes and from other income generating like lotto and other goverment owned and controlled its up to the auditor the exact contribution taken and given to medical intituition.

In the past in the Philippines complete charity no fees given by the patient depending on there status but as frequent occurance of free treatment, there funds are running dry, for most private hospital then as far as I know will not accept patient with no deposit even if the patient is dying heard loads of it if you have no money they will not attend to you then,but now there is a law that forbid them for doing that other who have a medical insurance some are covered depending on there contribution and if they are stiil working if not they insurance will stop and allow a certain amount of treatment.

Then some goverment hospitals are sold some are half private half public.

Then emergence of private insurance outdoing the public one as far as I know that is in Philippine.

Its in the news that medical courses are for the elite high tuition, I dont know there salary expecting when they get a job and how many they are.

When they are JOT they handle some case like tooth extraction and other activities depending on what course they are taking for free and some have medical mission in some community when they are already in proper work in developing nation.

In the west litigation or suing someone is always inmind by medical professionals just an opinion not unlike in developing countries.

Heard a lot of stories I will not say what developing countries, JOT will have to pay money just to have a place how much more to have a proper job in a hospital.

There are many programs like healty eating taught in school here and other program for maintaining there health.

I dont know if a yearly general check up and other check up depending on there age is covered by private insurance or its payment will increase next year if the client will do that.

As far I know all yearly check up and test are free for those who are employed by goverment hospital in the Philippine.

Just a comment 10 percent tax for all income including the income of companies not pass the additional 10 percent to the consumer with all the yearly check up and other check up.

It is good to have a socialized medicine,private or combination of both.

The goverment should reach out to the needy but also help ourselves also.

Just a comment.

Edited by josie

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Peckris, Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated.

Josie, Your reply included some interesting comment. I also liked the "Link" to Wikipedia.

Thanks to All, this is interesting dialogue.

Bob C.

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Scotty,

In the state North of Indiana (Michigan), that same thing happens, with people from Ontario coming across the bridge to Detroit for treatment, when they have an issue with Canadian treatment timeframes.

Oh yes, I know. A relatives other relatives from Canada occasion to come over for various measures for health from time to time.

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The NHS is undoubtedly a huge national asset and does extremely well under great daily pressure. That said, they are beset with all manner of time/money wasting problems, not to mention ridiculous targets and political correctness, which is irritating for all concerned.

Personally, I have free membership of BUPA through my job. But by great good fortune, I've never had to use it, or the NHS, save for trivial complaints. My Father, however, had triple by pass surgery last year, at the age of 65 ~ all free, and it's given him a new lease of life in terms of increased energy.

I think that a mixture of public (NHS) and private is the best way forward. The USA would do well to emulate our NHS with something similar, free at the point of delivery. Let's just hope they pay their nurses better than we pay ours

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Thanks to all for your responses. It was great getting your input.

I don't think the USA is on track for a full fledged UHC yet, or at least that is what I am hearing in the press. I retired last year, and the coverage I have is MediCare with a private supplemental policy. It works great, so I hope that Congress doesn't mess around with it. I know that is probably asking for too much though! LOL!

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