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In practice many very rich people in the UK have some form of private healthcare. The NHS has historically relied on rationing by queuing - since most demand fo
by bullianbp 5y ago
In practice many very rich people in the UK have some form of private healthcare. The NHS has historically relied on rationing by queuing - since most demand for healthcase is very inelastic you need a lot of queuing to reduce demand by much. There's also a lot of rationing by bureacracy, or rationing by telling you you can't have something and then you having to repeatedly beg for treatment that you or your child badly needs.
I support universal healthcare but I think the British system is not the best. It is the best at one thing - providing near-First World quality care at near-Third World total cost. The rhetoric around the generosity of the system and how lucky we are to have it is the same thing which allows it to be degraded. Lots of (mainly poorer and less educated) people put up with substandard care, simply because they feel it would be ungrateful or entitled to ask for basic things. Lots of wealthier and better educated people, who would pay for top-up coverage in the French system, get a better standard of treatment for free simply by demanding it. And 'going private' is an either-or - once you get private coverage you opt out of the public system and no longer have any stake in it.
- iso1631 5y agoI've never encountered a queue for any urgent care. Last time I made a GP appointment I did have to wait until the afternoon though. But you're right, just pay £40 a month and get bupa if you want faster care for non urgent cases.
- bullianbp 5y agoDid I say urgent care? The existence of NHS waiting lists is a well telegraphed problem. Typically these are for medically necessary procedures which are not critical (in the sense that catching cancer fast is critical) but which when delayed cause long periods of deterioration and reduced quality of life.
- iso1631 5y agoDo you have a specific example?
- bullianbp 5y agoYou live in the UK and use the NHS and you're not aware of the issue of waiting lists for operations and other procedures? It's been a highly talked about political issue for at least the last 40 years.
- iso1631 5y agoI haven't had any issues with particularly long waiting times when I've needed the NHS. Indeed the one time I've used american healthcare I was waiting far longer than I was in the UK, but that was for an acute problem.
- bullianbp 5y agoClearly if you have not personally experienced something it doesn't exist.
- lmm 5y agoIt's a popular talking point in the Murdoch media, sure. That doesn't mean it's an issue in reality.
- bullianbp 5y agoTry harder.
- TMWNN 5y ago>I support universal healthcare but I think the British system is not the best. It is the best at one thing - providing near-First World quality care at near-Third World total cost. The rhetoric around the generosity of the system and how lucky we are to have it is the same thing which allows it to be degraded. The NHS's 100% government-run structure also makes it the perennial #1 cudgel to beat one's political opponents with. Private Eye on "24 Hours to Save the NHS" (https://twitter.com/KulganofCrydee/status/833654730849136641 https://twitter.com/KulganofCrydee/status/833654730849136641)