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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SW-User

Many nations have similar systems of universal health care, NZ, Aus, even Canada among other nations.
A basic, nationally funded universal care system seems to me like it ought to be one of the most essential requirements of a civilised nation.
Healthcare and the ramifications thereof really ought not vary by income and class.
It would be hard to find average people in these nations who would willingly wish to dismantle their health systems in favour of private insurance.

That being said, private insurance ought to be an OPTION if one desires and although a few take on such additional policies, most have no need or want for private health care when the national system is more than sufficient.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@SW-User

[quote]It would be hard to find average people in these nations who would willingly wish to dismantle their health systems in favour of private insurance[/quote]

US health care isn't really a "private insurance" system. In essence it's a free-market place system suffering from tampering by special interests attempting to game the system to their advantage at the expense of others. That characteristic would unlikely change under a single payor system like you have in the UK.

A combination of selective tax advantages and unfair business practices game the US system not towards the wealthy but towards political forces.

To understand the US health insurance system it's like trying to understand why someone would place a $2 bet on a horse that only pays $1.25 to win, less to place or show, and zero to finish further behind. Well, if the person betting is betting with tax-free dollars it makes perfect sense.