Yes, the paperwork is hidden from you, but its present, the hospital still needs a way to obtain funds from NHS, see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare

Yes, the paperwork is hidden from you, but its present, the hospital still needs a way to obtain funds from NHS, see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_England https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_England - "The National Health Service (NHS) is free at the point of use for the patient though there are charges associated with eye tests, dental care, prescriptions, and many aspects of personal care." Please note that you basically listed two exceptions (plus other Nordic companies), most of EU countries have a system that combines private insurance companies with a combination of public, semi-public and completely private health providers.