IHS is £624/yr, and what do you mean by NHS-specific tax? Overall, I probably pay more towards the NHS than I would for healthcare in the US, because I'm a com

IHS is £624/yr, and what do you mean by NHS-specific tax? Overall, I probably pay more towards the NHS than I would for healthcare in the US, because I'm a comparatively high earner, and that's the nature of progressive taxation. The NHS seems fairly good value for money, however, although I think that may be due to how much we underpay nurses and doctors. I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Many people do, and the service's deficiencies are widely publicised domestically. Even at its best, the service has always been a bit rough around the edges - not like the beautiful hospitals with friendly service that you often get by going private. However, what people like so much about the NHS here is the universality and lack of barriers to access. If you're sick, you just walk in and get treatment - doesn't matter who you are, no charges, no paperwork, no insurance or anything else. Unfortunately, even accessing care is becoming more difficult in recent years. Increasingly people I know are relying on private insurance or self funding to get treatment in a reasonable timeframe.