Just a rant....

[JimmiGerman]

Impossible to compare UK to USA health insurance.  UK has a population of 64 million, US 315 million.  UK has 1/5 the population.  

 

Health care isn't just about the point of service and the majority of people thinking they are getting free access to medical care.  It's about all the back-end networks that make the front end necessary.  The US leads the world in health care innovations, Public sector health care with no real profit motive (except for government graft) will stifle that innovation.

 

Once in a tv report about the American health service I've seen how people have used a soldering iron to burn out the dental nerv to get finally rid of their toothache because they couldn't afford the dentist.

[Guest]

Once in a tv report about the American health service I've seen how people have used a soldering iron to burn out the dental nerv to get finally rid of their toothache because they couldn't afford the dentist.

 

And I betcha the guy was recording the incident in his brand new Iphone 6 plus... and then jumping into his BMW to drive to the closest Starbucks.

[Mahone]

Impossible to compare UK to USA health insurance.  UK has a population of 64 million, US 315 million.  UK has 1/5 the population.  

 

Can you provide any strong evidence that difference in population figures makes it impossible to compare?

 

 

 

Health care isn't just about the point of service and the majority of people thinking they are getting free access to medical care.  It's about all the back-end networks that make the front end necessary.  The US leads the world in health care innovations, Public sector health care with no real profit motive (except for government graft) will stifle that innovation.

 

 

I don't think anyone has suggested public health care is free, neither is that one of the motivators for it.

 

This PWC report suggests medical innovation is more closely related to population size and GDP than private or public healthcare: http://www.pwc.com/us/en/health-industries/health-research-institute/innovation-scorecard/

Edited November 17, 2014 by Mahone

[Mahone]

And I betcha the guy was recording the incident in his brand new Iphone 6 plus... and then jumping into his BMW to drive to the closest Starbucks.

 

The point I took away from his response is that an opinion of a single author in a single book should in no way be taken as reflective of the opinions of the population as a whole. Such emotive disaster stories from individuals can be found on both sides of the pond by a simple google search, but do nothing to support any arguments.

 

I would personally agree however, in my experience, that the window dressing on hospitals is lacking somewhat, and it's more common to end up on a shared ward than a private room. NHS coffers tend to be focused more on the actual medical care as opposed to the physical hospital buildings themselves.

Edited November 17, 2014 by Mahone

[Guest]

The point I took away from his response is that an opinion of a single author in a single book should in no way be taken as reflective of the opinions of the population as a whole. Such emotive disaster stories from individuals can be found on both sides of the pond by a simple google search, but do nothing to support any arguments.

 

I would personally agree however, in my experience, that the window dressing on hospitals is lacking somewhat, and it's more common to end up on a shared ward than a private room. NHS coffers tend to be focused more on the actual medical care as opposed to the physical hospital buildings themselves.

 

It's a popular book.

 

There's a reason American High Schoolers read Pride and Prejudice in school...

[Guest]

Can you provide any strong evidence that difference in population figures makes it impossible to compare?

 

 

 

 

I don't think anyone has suggested public health care is free, neither is that one of the motivators for it.

 

This PWC report suggests medical innovation is more closely related to population size and GDP than private or public healthcare: http://www.pwc.com/us/en/health-industries/health-research-institute/innovation-scorecard/

 

Not sure where in that PWC Report it says that?  Is this the right link?

 

Medical Innovation happens when there's money to invest in it.  The capitalist method, so far that it has been tried, has shown that money tends to flow freely and products and services flow efficiently when people have a vested interest in its movement.  Public healthcare is the antithesis of that because it separates people from vested interests.  Of course, if the government is a good manager of resources, then it will be good.  But, a democratic government, as illustrated very succinctly in Plato's The Republic, has the tendency to deviate from "the good of the people" to "the good of the politician".

[Silhouette]

I've been very fortunate in my two major hospitalizations here in California. I had two large, serious bloodclots in my leg and had to be hospitalized for a week in my local hospital. At first I was given a double room, but the other patient's family was there, and became very rowdy and disruptive the same evening I was brought in. I didn't have to say a word. That very evening the staff actually cleared out a hospital room they had been using for storage, and moved me to it. It was a double room, but they never put another patient in there with me, so I basically had a private room for the whole week I was in the hospital. The insurance was billed for a double room rather than a private one.

The second time I was at Stanford University having cancer surgery. Again I lucked out and got a double room, but no one else ever came in. It was very nice both times. I guess I've just been lucky in that regard.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Silhouette