Go Private For Health Problems Options

[wee davy]

The ideal National Health Service would include & provide a 'better service' (particularly meals!) for EVERYBODY, if those who can afford to pay more, DID pay more.

By that, I do not mean the INDIVIDUAL,.. I mean BIG BUSINESS, BANKS, etc If these institutions gave a larger proportion of their profits, we would TRULY have a healthcare system which was the real envy of the world.

As it is, I think its pretty damn good.
Unfortunately we must mistrust those who would tinker with it, for gain.
Its most certainly NOT something you can simply purchase on the High St.

Those who might advocate a system more akin to the US, would do well to consider the results of a 2009 Harvard University study, which found more than 44,800 excess deaths annually in the United States due to Americans' lacking health insurance, equivalent to one excess death every 12 minutes.

The total number of people in the US, whether insured or uninsured, dying because of lack of medical care was estimated in a 1997 analysis to be nearly 100,000 per year.

Thank Heaven for the NHS

[TeeHeeHee]

"a private re-hab clinic for 6 weeks and later 12 out-patient re-hab sessions and didn't cost me a penny."

Believe it or not I was on my feet the second day after the operation and out the door on the fourth day.
Medical aids are good when they are needed but they dont like to spend unecessary money on trivial things like recuperation.

Dave I was from April till about October on crutches including re-hab, Big muscle and tendons were cut during the repair and then again because more access was required to remove the screws and plates from the repair then fit and adjust the replacement (I demanded not a millimeter longer or shorter on the leg as a technician would )

[bilbo.s]

Bilbo, every time I go abroad I speak to the medical insurance company when paying.I always mention my hypertension and tell them it is under control with medication Ive been on for years.The usual reply is thats ok.From now on Ill be getting thats ok in writing, thanks to that wee snippet you put on.

Joop,

Every insurance company is different - some have a fixed list of conditions automatically allowed and anything else must be declared. Others require a declaration of everything. Insurers will do anything to avoid paying out. They are up there ( or down there) with politicians and bankers.

Incidentally, many will not cover people over 50, while it is possible (at a high premium) to obtain cover up to 90 with others. It can be a prohibitively expensive business travelling when old and with existing conditions, especially outwith the EU:

[angel]

Those who might advocate a system more akin to the US, would do well to consider the results of a 2009 Harvard University study, which found more than 44,800 excess deaths annually in the United States due to Americans' lacking health insurance, equivalent to one excess death every 12 minutes.

The total number of people in the US, whether insured or uninsured, dying because of lack of medical care was estimated in a 1997 analysis to be nearly 100,000 per year.

Thank Heaven for the NHS Davey
-------------------------

Britian / UK
2007 --Population-- 60,975,000 -- Mortality , 8 per thousand annually ,
with a universal health care system ,

USA
2011 ...population ---310.5 million ...mortality.. 803.6 per 100.000
annually. No universal health care.

Now I'm wondering if someone would care to do the maths , is the
USA medical care so much worse than Britain/UK considering the population plus no national health care , ? which they do indeed need .

[benny]

On the face of it, the difference in mortality per 100,000 is a mere 3.6 more in the US than in Britain. To fully appreciate the difference, if any, between the two systems we would need to know how many of the US deaths were in the poorer or uninsured sectors of the community, as compared to the same sector in the UK. We know that there is a disparity in health between rich and poor in Britain, but is that disparity even greater in the US?

[angel]

Benny , thank you for your reply .......
I am of the opinion , that regardless of a universal health system
and taking the population into consideration , including the wealthy and low income , the mortality rate probably is'nt that big a difference between both countries
I think that the American people in general are by far a healthier bunch than the Brits despite the British health system , " is this a lifestyle or no ",
I honestly don't know , but as they say , you get what you pay for and I for one ,am very happy to have a healthcare system here in Ontario plus my own private health insurance , this supplements my medical coverage , which is my responsibility as far as I am concerned .

[benny]

I have to disagree with you, Angel. I think there are certain areas of life where everyone - irrespective of income - should have a decent level of treatment, and one of those areas is healthcare. Our National Health Service, like many other things we take for granted, was hard won by the generations who preceded us. I agree entirely with its original aim of free healthcare for all , and I think it would be the greatest of crimes to stand idly by and watch it dismantled piecemeal for the benefit of private shareholders. So, I don't believe that healthcare is the responsibility only of the individual.

[Melody]

I agree Benny:


The collective principle asserts that... no society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.
—Aneurin Bevan, In Place of Fear, p100

The National Health service and the Welfare State have come to be used as interchangeable terms, and in the mouths of some people as terms of reproach. Why this is so it is not difficult to understand, if you view everything from the angle of a strictly individualistic competitive society. A free health service is pure Socialism and as such it is opposed to the hedonism of capitalist society.
—Aneurin Bevan, In Place of Fear, p106

[wee davy]

American people in general are by far a healthier bunch than the Brits

I MUST take issue with you on this one, angel.

Like everything else in the US, waistlines are enormous, and gluttony is evident EVERYWHERE you look.

Grant you, were probably catching them up!

(PS I am basing this on sights I've seen, with my own eyes)

I would say however, that Canada is probably healthier than the US

[angel]

I MUST take issue with you on this one, angel.

Like everything else in the US, waistlines are enormous, and gluttony is evident EVERYWHERE you look.

Grant you, were probably catching them up!

(PS I am basing this on sights I've seen, with my own eyes)

I would say however, that Canada is probably healthier than the US

Davy , obesity has become a big problem ,as I'm sure you know in
today's society , however just because someone is over weight according to the insurance companies and their scale of what people should weigh ..
by the way .." which is another form of brain washing " this does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that they are unfit , "skinny no longer means healthy "
Also , I'm not to sure about ,Canada as a nation , being more fit than than the USA or for that matter other countries

[Heather]

I wonder why some people say we have free Health Care in Britain, we don't.
Health Care is paid for by National Insurance Contributions deducted at source from our wages/ salaries and yes probably supplemented by the Government.

Those of us who live in Scotland get ' free ' perscriptions which I don't agree with.
It's right for OAPs, children, students, low paid and the un-employed, but there are plenty of people who can afford to pay for their prescriptions and to give them free is denying our Hospitals the money that would improve our Hospitals and also employ more Nurse's.

[angel]

I have to disagree with you, Angel. I think there are certain areas of life where everyone - irrespective of income - should have a decent level of treatment, and one of those areas is healthcare. Our National Health Service, like many other things we take for granted, was hard won by the generations who preceded us. I agree entirely with its original aim of free healthcare for all , and I think it would be the greatest of crimes to stand idly by and watch it dismantled piecemeal for the benefit of private shareholders. So, I don't believe that healthcare is the responsibility only of the individual.

Benny also Melody , I do very much agree with a Universal Health care system , but the abuse that it deals with , eg.... a little ache a little cough, and so on , adds to the prohibitive financial cost of these programs , therefore , up go the contributions to those who contribute
and in fact seldom use , so give me a medical universal program that will deal with serious health issues and conditions .. and not for.... example.." ........

Chiropody/ podiatry , optometry , dentistry and Phisio therapy,] that"s all that I can think of at this time , of course , depending on the cause , if not life theatening , then should be the responsibility of those who suffer from these conditions and not those who eventually have to pay the price for non life threatening conditions of others.
As for Aneurian Bevin ,that was a wonderful dream in his day but it is no longer prevalent in today's society . and that is a shame .

[wee davy]

Despite its imperfections, the National Health Service remains EASILY the best thing EVER established in the modern world. I truly believe that.

Thats the thing, you see,... in SPITE of its imperfections, it works.
Shortly after the Thatcher years, the state of a HUGE majority of hospitals were in a bad state of disrepair, and an absolute disgrace.

Wherever you go, up and down the country today, there are centres of excellence for Cardiac, Cancer, Paediotricians and much more. Equipment and staff of the HIGHEST order - and it has all been set up by people like myself, paying over 40 plus years of National Insurance Contribution, and taxes. Private Finance (which I think should be written off, BTW) has also helped, in the past 15 years or more.

The UK's been LIVING Bevan's 'dream', since 1948 (albeit imperfectly) & I for one, wouldn't have it any other way.

Remember this,... it was only with the full consent of the BMA it ever got off the ground, in the first place. Doctors and Consultants do get paid very well for what they do - nurses are able to earn above the national average

Like Heather said - there certainly isn't any such thing as a 'free' service.

PS Its well known that MOST NHS local trusts have a list of treatments you are NOT automatically entitled to - and they vary from area to area. Dental treatment has been STRICTLY only free to those on income related benefits (and young mothers), for many years now.

Finally I think the need for the NHS is even MORE relevant than it was in 48
With the coin in everybody's pocket worth less and less and environmental measures having to be paid for, with 20% rises every six months in Gas & Electric - we'll soon have to be paying for fresh air.

PS a little ache, a little cough, can lead to a lifetime of care! we still have to attend to these things, and not ingore them

[TeeHeeHee]

I don't know if the UK, or any other land for that matter, has reached the stage which we have here in Germany whereby once quarter yearly an extra charge of €10 consultation fee is made for visits to doctors, dentists or opticians. The receipt that one receives from either of these services covers all others for that quarterly period but it means that if you pop into your doctors practice for a prescription, say, on 29th March for the 1st time that year then the €10 must be paid and if you return on the 4th April for a new prescription then it'll cost you the quarterly €10 fee again but your covered for all visits till end of June.
Everyone, regardless, must pay this consultation fee.
Since 2004, all patients have to pay a consultation fee of 10 euros on their first visit to a doctor or dentist of any quarter. Everythoing else is covered by the AOK over here unless you opt for one of the many private insurances.

The doctor to whom you paid the consultation fee will, if necessary, issue you with referrals to other doctors. You do not have to pay a consultation fee if you can present the referral (in German: “Überweisung”). If you feel that you should see another doctor or a specialist you can ask for a referral at the doctor’s practice where you have made the quarterly payment of the fee.

The AOK health insurance covers just about everything.
For a working person the cost of the insurance ia about 15+% of gross income with the company liable for 8+% and the employee for the other 7%


http://www.aok-bv.de/aok/english/

[angel]

PS a little ache, a little cough, can lead to a lifetime of care! we still have to attend to these things, and not ingore them

of course we cannot ignore , however why should I and others like me have to pay for those who insist on living an unhealthy lifestyle , ie. smoking and boozing , for example , which costs the health system a fortune and has to be paid for by others .
Self inflicted illnesses should be put into a seperate catagory whatever that could be regarding health care , or does the government want
these taxes from Tobacco and liquor over the well being of their people . I will never understand why the public have to pay for self inflicted illnesses , or for that matter , self inflicted accidents .
and once again I say that I do believe in a universal medical health system , but to a point.
If people can afford to pay for booze and cigs , and these day's drugs , then Davy they can afford extra insurance to cover their medical health problems .