Healthcare worldwide

[MickM86]

As a UK citizen healthcare is technically free through the NHS and it is something we never have to worry about in this country. I take into consideration that the NHS is a disgrace with waiting times, misdiagnosis, poor handling and general service to the public but it is free and what has brought me to create this topic is because I was watching a television show last night and the character needed to find money to cure his illness in America.

So this question goes to the members here who are from the states and other countries that have to pay for treatment. If you are diagnosed with something, how do you afford the thousands of dollars to pay for treatment? What if you work a regular 9-5, don't earn a great deal of money and you need all this money to pay for treatment, what do you do?

Surely there must be something. Do you have like insurance that is taken from your gross pay that covers you? What about people who are unemployed? I'd really like to hear the answers and if possible some stories that you may have experienced or know of.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

As a UK citizen healthcare is technically free through the NHS and it is something we never have to worry about in this country. I take into consideration that the NHS is a disgrace with waiting times, misdiagnosis, poor handling and general service to the public but it is free and what has brought me to create this topic is because I was watching a television show last night and the character needed to find money to cure his illness in America.

So this question goes to the members here who are from the states and other countries that have to pay for treatment. If you are diagnosed with something, how do you afford the thousands of dollars to pay for treatment? What if you work a regular 9-5, don't earn a great deal of money and you need all this money to pay for treatment, what do you do?

Surely there must be something. Do you have like insurance that is taken from your gross pay that covers you? What about people who are unemployed? I'd really like to hear the answers and if possible some stories that you may have experienced or know of.

That is the problem with their system, if you are 'on welfare' and can't afford Medicare (private health insurance) then you are in trouble if you fall ill and need costly treatment.

 

[Pat's Van]

Mick's back yay !!!

 

[dead_soft]

As a UK citizen healthcare is technically free through the NHS and it is something we never have to worry about in this country. I take into consideration that the NHS is a disgrace with waiting times, misdiagnosis, poor handling and general service to the public but it is free and what has brought me to create this topic is because I was watching a television show last night and the character needed to find money to cure his illness in America.

So this question goes to the members here who are from the states and other countries that have to pay for treatment. If you are diagnosed with something, how do you afford the thousands of dollars to pay for treatment? What if you work a regular 9-5, don't earn a great deal of money and you need all this money to pay for treatment, what do you do?

Surely there must be something. Do you have like insurance that is taken from your gross pay that covers you? What about people who are unemployed? I'd really like to hear the answers and if possible some stories that you may have experienced or know of.

Not saying you're wrong, not saying you're right, come and put some stats and figures in here please.

 

[Bungle]

As a UK citizen healthcare is technically free through the NHS and it is something we never have to worry about in this country. I take into consideration that the NHS is a disgrace with waiting times, misdiagnosis, poor handling and general service to the public but it is free and what has brought me to create this topic is because I was watching a television show last night and the character needed to find money to cure his illness in America.

So this question goes to the members here who are from the states and other countries that have to pay for treatment. If you are diagnosed with something, how do you afford the thousands of dollars to pay for treatment? What if you work a regular 9-5, don't earn a great deal of money and you need all this money to pay for treatment, what do you do?

Surely there must be something. Do you have like insurance that is taken from your gross pay that covers you? What about people who are unemployed? I'd really like to hear the answers and if possible some stories that you may have experienced or know of.

Breaking Bad is awesome isn't it Mick, not the most ethical way to pay his medical bills but it gets the job done.

 

[MickM86]

Not saying you're wrong, not saying you're right, come and put some stats and figures in here please.

I'm talking from people I know who've been misdiagnosed, had to wait ages for a&e and ambulances and even myself, I've been spoken to like rubbish by nurses in the hospital and I was very polite to them. I understand they have their hands full with people abusin the system but we all get tarred with that brush.

 

[MickM86]

Breaking Bad is awesome isn't it Mick, not the most ethical way to pay his medical bills but it gets the job done.

Hey Bungle. I'm only on first series episode 5! I love it already. I'm trying to avoid spoilers etc.

 

[Bungle]

Hey Bungle. I'm only on first series episode 5! I love it already. I'm trying to avoid spoilers etc.

Great programme mate

 

[Moomin]

I think the NHS does a fantastic job, its not perfect but people are quick to stick the knife in.

 

[MickM86]

I think the NHS does a fantastic job, its not perfect but people are quick to stick the knife in.

Ooeerrr!

 

[The Esk]

Funnily enough I had a meeting with Andy Burnham last week to discuss "health tourism" in the UK.The use of the NHS by those who are not entitled to free care and who do not subsequently pay for their care (or their Governments do not pay) costs the NHS up to £2bn a year depending upon who you speak to.

Our major problem is that we have a system which is free at the point of entry, and whilst I think the Theresa May's new Immigration Bill is not the answer, we have to create a system that identifies those not entitled to free care, and a means of receiving payment from them or their Governments as appropriate.

This issue is set to become a major political story in the lead up to the General Election.

 

[Mrk]

I fear we'll never have a grown up debate about healthcare in the UK, and when the time comes and it becomes obvious that a state-run system is no longer affordable we'll be ****ed.

 

[Groucho]

As a UK citizen healthcare is technically free through the NHS and it is something we never have to worry about in this country. I take into consideration that the NHS is a disgrace with waiting times, misdiagnosis, poor handling and general service to the public but it is free and what has brought me to create this topic is because I was watching a television show last night and the character needed to find money to cure his illness in America.

So this question goes to the members here who are from the states and other countries that have to pay for treatment. If you are diagnosed with something, how do you afford the thousands of dollars to pay for treatment? What if you work a regular 9-5, don't earn a great deal of money and you need all this money to pay for treatment, what do you do?

Surely there must be something. Do you have like insurance that is taken from your gross pay that covers you? What about people who are unemployed? I'd really like to hear the answers and if possible some stories that you may have experienced or know of.

No pal, wrong. I'm not claiming it's perfect, but like any large organisation, some parts are a little behind compared to others. What happened in Mid-Staffs is not indicative of the whole NHS - it's is certainly in the minority. The NHS trusts in Merseyside are very forward thinking, and are run extremely well.

I do not appreciate those comments, and I'm sure all doctors, nurses, cleaners, porters and everyone else employed within the NHS think likewise.

 

[MickM86]

No pal, wrong. I'm not claiming it's perfect, but like any large organisation, some parts are a little behind compared to others. What happened in Mid-Staffs is not indicative of the whole NHS - it's is certainly in the minority. The NHS trusts in Merseyside are very forward thinking, and are run extremely well.

I do not appreciate those comments, and I'm sure all doctors, nurses, cleaners, porters and everyone else employed within the NHS think likewise.

Ask 100 people who depend on the NHS, I'm sure the majority will be disappointed with it. People left on lists for transplants, cancer patients left in disgusting wards that are neglected and run down. I'm speaking from what I've seen from my own eyes. I'm personally gonna look into that bupa.

Who cares about the working class mate? The government sure as hell don't it they would do a lot more for us. I don't have that much dealing myself with the NHS and my reason for this thread wasn't to discuss this, it was more for healthcare overseas and how people have to find the money to pay for treatment etc.

I think the NHS is a touchy subject

 

[Mrk]

Ask 100 people who depend on the NHS, I'm sure the majority will be disappointed with it. People left on lists for transplants, cancer patients left in disgusting wards that are neglected and run down. I'm speaking from what I've seen from my own eyes. I'm personally gonna look into that bupa.

Who cares about the working class mate? The government sure as hell don't it they would do a lot more for us. I don't have that much dealing myself with the NHS and my reason for this thread wasn't to discuss this, it was more for healthcare overseas and how people have to find the money to pay for treatment etc.

I think the NHS is a touchy subject

General approval of the NHS is actually quite high I believe, but of course the vast majority don't have anything to compare it to.