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>universally loved by everyone I don't think something can be universally loved. There are many stories of long waiting times and people going overseas for pri

>universally loved by everyone I don't think something can be universally loved. There are many stories of long waiting times and people going overseas for private healthcare. People like private healthcare because it aligns with America's love of freedom - which includes the freedom to fail.

swarnie_ 9y ago
>universally loved by everyone Maybe a little strong on my part. Asked "would you scrap the NHS?" to randoms on the street i bet you would get a very strong no vote.
- johndevor 9y ago
  Is such a system sustainable though? Isn't England in a massive hole of debt? And if that debt comes due, what would happen to the quality of the NHS?
  - maxxxxx 9y ago
    Don't forget that the US spends by far the most per capita on health care world wide. The NHS saves money.
  - beagle3 9y ago
    Almost Every western country is in a massive hole of debt, the us included. I think it is more sustainable than other systems, especially the one practiced in the US. Also, please note than in the US, public spending on health is already huge, and there’s a huge private spending as well - iirc about 20% of us GDP is spent on healthcare, which is double any other western country, and with worse results to boot. It is already unsustainable.
  - ceejayoz 9y ago
    > Isn't England in a massive hole of debt? The UK has a lower debt-to-GDP ratio than the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_de... Their debt ratio is predicted to slightly lower by 2022, while ours is expected to continue to increase. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_gross_government_debt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_gr...
c0nducktr 9y ago
Yeah gotta love having the freedom to die because your health insurance doesn't actually cover the health care you need. American's have a very perverse idea of what 'freedom' is.
beagle3 9y ago
I have had a chance to speak with quite a few people who spent some time living in a country with universal healthcare, and not a single one would give it up or think that the American system is better. Or even acceptable, for that matter. Public healthcare does not mean lack of private healthcare. I’ve heard Canadians complain about the lack of private options awhile back, but I think even that is solved now.
- maxxxxx 9y ago
  Yes, I have never met anybody who has actually lived in a country with universal healthcare and in the US who didn't believe that the US system is an insane nightmare. There maybe be problems with individual systems but the US is by far the worst.

swarnie_ 9y ago

>universally loved by everyone Maybe a little strong on my part. Asked "would you scrap the NHS?" to randoms on the street i bet you would get a very strong no vote.

johndevor 9y ago
Is such a system sustainable though? Isn't England in a massive hole of debt? And if that debt comes due, what would happen to the quality of the NHS?
- maxxxxx 9y ago
  Don't forget that the US spends by far the most per capita on health care world wide. The NHS saves money.
- beagle3 9y ago
  Almost Every western country is in a massive hole of debt, the us included. I think it is more sustainable than other systems, especially the one practiced in the US. Also, please note than in the US, public spending on health is already huge, and there’s a huge private spending as well - iirc about 20% of us GDP is spent on healthcare, which is double any other western country, and with worse results to boot. It is already unsustainable.
- ceejayoz 9y ago
  > Isn't England in a massive hole of debt? The UK has a lower debt-to-GDP ratio than the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_de... Their debt ratio is predicted to slightly lower by 2022, while ours is expected to continue to increase. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_gross_government_debt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_gr...

c0nducktr 9y ago

Yeah gotta love having the freedom to die because your health insurance doesn't actually cover the health care you need. American's have a very perverse idea of what 'freedom' is.

beagle3 9y ago

I have had a chance to speak with quite a few people who spent some time living in a country with universal healthcare, and not a single one would give it up or think that the American system is better. Or even acceptable, for that matter. Public healthcare does not mean lack of private healthcare. I’ve heard Canadians complain about the lack of private options awhile back, but I think even that is solved now.

maxxxxx 9y ago
Yes, I have never met anybody who has actually lived in a country with universal healthcare and in the US who didn't believe that the US system is an insane nightmare. There maybe be problems with individual systems but the US is by far the worst.