Usa people, having a NHS is awesome!

Most people in the UK (everyone aside from the uber rich) loves the NHS. I just want you all to know that when we look at you across the pond, we have no idea why some of you fight so vigorously against the idea of universal health care.

I just wanna say this because sometimes I hear Americans bad mouthing our health care system and sure, its a massive organization and like all huge organizations there are horrible mistakes, but you never ever hear of the 99.999% of the times when people are cured/saved.

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sdfdgsfasfdgsfasdasfsdgds · 41-45, M

NHS is fantastic. Shame the government are trying to run it into the ground because while not perfect it and the people in it are a amazing thing.

I don't get the American resistance to it either

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@sdfdgsfasfdgsfasdasfsdgds Total agree

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@sdfdgsfasfdgsfasdasfsdgds probably because you don't understand economics

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley OK Mr economist. Explain to me how the US system costs twice as much but delivers worse outcomes than the Uk system?

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@Burnley123 US pays full retail for pharmaceuticals while the rest of the world pays wholesale.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@Burnley123

[quote]Explain to me how the US system costs twice as much but delivers worse outcomes than the US system?[/quote]

I don't know about either assumption that you are making.

Are the outcomes better under NHS?

While you and some of our politicians may think so, I think there may be twisted statistics. While the UK may enjoy a higher life expectancy, it's questionable whether that has anything to do with health care systems. We in the US tend to live riskier lives, and we tend to not listen too well to health advice, regardless of where we get that advice. Even advice from our FDA gets treated with the same disregard as do our traffic laws.

Just look at how we differ: the UK lost about 700 brave souls during the recent Middle East wars, the US lost about 7,000. Adjusting for population differences, the UK enjoyed a 2 to 1 lower casualty rate. Looking at other human activities, the US routinely experiences about 35,000 auto related fatalities per year while the UK has about 1,800 a year. Adjusted for population differences, the UK enjoys a 7 to 1 advantage in auto fatalities. There are other differences between the UK and the US that would seem to affect life expectancy. I would think that immigration rates would. The US accepts about twice as many legal immigrants as the UK does, and probably an infinite times more illegal immigrants than the UK. Again adjusted for population differences.

And twice as much?

Our own government in the US tinkers with our health care so much we have no idea about what it actually costs :) Our general experience with government run things suggests that it will probably cost even more if we tried NHS here.

None of this means that I dislike the UK. I spent a year living there and seriously enjoyed it.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@Heartlander Its true that there are a lot of variables and diet is probably a big factor too. But certainly the NHS system can't be said to have worse outcomes.

I understand your worries about the cultural difference but Canada also has a good healthcare system and cheaper. Maybe there are some arguments on cost but it can't be that big.

Thanks for being polite. I have also enjoyed my time in America and the people there are friendly.

Nyloncapes · 61-69, M

[@totalfury well said the people in it are fantastic and undervalued