Question for Newt

[severus]

Newt:

quote:

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I know that lots do not have health insurance. So they mostly use hospital emergency room visits for routine illnesses and often just don't pay the bills. Expensive way for us to provide fairly routine health care.

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Several years ago I sold health insurance for a brief time, and can't tell you how many people told me that they didn't need insurance, and that if something catastrophic happened the government would have to take care of the bill. So they simply opted out.

 

Deadbeats like that caused me to switch careers.

[Lid]

We have a different system here though, that's why our Private schemes cost so much less. We can still get some excellent treatment with National Health Service and Private Health is used more as a supplement to this.

 

From what I understand in the States, you have a two tier system. Those that pay get treated well and those that don't pay Private Health insurance die!

 

One of the biggest problems the NHS faces is increased life expectancy and advances in medical science. Theses incur huge costs and it can no longer cope. We have other problems too at the political level of managing UK healthcare.

 

[ 20. June 2004, 11:44 AM: Message edited by: Lid ]

[Newt]

Lid:

... From what I understand in the States, you have a two tier system. Those that pay get treated well and those that don't pay Private Health insurance die!....

Not quite that simple over here. Close but not quite.

 

First off, we all are gonna die sooner or later.

 

Second - the folks without any health insurance coverage will not be denied emergency treatment. Most of our hospitals are operated by the local government and receive Federal funds. They are not allowed to turn away anyone without an exam and treatment for life or health threatning conditions.

 

The patient will receive a bill for the services but the expectation is that a 'self pay' patient is pretty much a 'no pay' patient.

 

They will not receive elective treatments from private sources though.

 

Also, any person over 62 years of age (I think - may be 65) who has lived and worked in the US for even a couple of years qualifies for old age benefits which includes some money and fairly good health coverage which I gather is very similar to your National Health coverage. Disabled persons also quality without regard to age.

 

So yes, people with private health insurance do receive better health care treatment but no, people without it are not just left to die.

 

Which may or may not be a good thing. Without drifting into a major political rant, I hold the opinion that some folks are not worth the tax money I'm forced to contribute to keep them hale and hearty. I think we do way too much of it and at this point, we do way less than you folks do.

[severus]

newt:

quote:

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I think we do way too much of it and at this point, we do way less than you folks do.

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Amen, Bruth-huh!!

[Lid]

The impression I get from TV and media is that although emergency cases are not denied treatment in the states, they will not receive nearly as good a care as a fully insured patient.

 

For example a heart attack victim is going to get the cheap £50 a go anti clotting drug instead of the much better £1000 a go stuff. (Mind you that happens here to!)

 

[ 20. June 2004, 07:08 PM: Message edited by: Lid ]