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National Health Care has become the most important issue of the day. With the passing of Sen. Kennedy, more attention will be called to his legacy of wanting health care for all. This is a conversation that took place over the Internet between myself and two others. Michael Ashcroft is a graduate student in London, England, and Benjamin Newton is a Logistics Manager in southeast Ohio.

Michael Ashcroft
I still don’t understand how anyone can argue against universal health care.

Susan Nilon
People over here (in the United States) are saying that the people of England hate their health care and are advising us against it.

Michael Ashcroft
We don’t hate the NHS (National Health System) as a concept, but we get annoyed when billions of pounds (dollars) disappear into the financial black hole it seems to be. Just because it could be improved it doesn’t make the idea worthless.

Three years ago I dislocated my knee playing tennis. I waited four hours for the ambulance as it had other calls to attend to and I was in the middle of nowhere, but it came eventually. They took me 45 minutes to the nearest hospital, gave me gas to ease the pain and on my request, sedated me when they put my knee back into place (I didn’t want that memory — though the brain forgets pain, it doesn’t forget the movement of bone sliding against bone, I’ve discovered). The doctor didn’t have to put me out but I asked and he did. I woke up with a neoprene support (instead of a cast) on my leg, x-rays and was sent home.

All this cost me approximately nothing. Exactly nothing, in fact. I still have the leg support. … The reconstructive surgery on my knees was done privately, as I admit; I do have private health insurance. And while the NHS is good for emergency stuff, I had a university place to take up and wasn’t inclined to be put on a waiting list and spend several nights in a ward. (I got my own room and bathroom in the private hospital.)

The NHS is a wonderful achievement, regardless of what Daniel Hannan (the Conservative MEP who spoke out against it on American news, I think) might say.

It’s not a mistake, and though there is significant room for improvement, the fact that I know whatever injury I sustain anywhere in the country, theoretically, in the EEA (European Economic Area), as we get Europe-wide heath insurance — the NHS pays for foreign treatment as well with my “E111” card. I will be treated for free. Although there do exist repatriation doctors who fly out and bring home injured UK nationals for NHS treatment, I believe.

Health Care Abroad – this is a link to the NHS itself; probably more useful.

It comes from taxes, yes, but isn’t that the hallmark of a liberal and socially developed nation? I’ve not yet paid taxes, but I’ve benefited. I will pay taxes and that will benefit someone else.

Benjamin Newton
Michael, were the doctors that you dealt with evil and cold like the American doctors I keep reading about?

Michael Ashcroft
I’ve yet to encounter an “evil and cold” doctor, but I’ve had significantly more experience in the private sector than the NHS. General Practitioners (GPs) have only come across as unfriendly when they’re rushed and stressed, often due to the fact they have quotas of people have they to get through in a single day – I think they only get about 10 minutes per patient. In my experience, the paramedics were professional and friendly, the support staff in the NHS hospitals were friendly, and the doctor, himself, was courteous and complied with my wishes.

The only problem I have had with the NHS was about 8 years ago when my knee problems started. I went for an x-ray and they saw a small piece of bone that no one else would see. Only (the Doctor) could see it and nothing could be done until I was 18 and stopped growing. I was about 12. A couple of years later I went to a private consultant and he said, “So I’ll schedule you for surgery on Tuesday.” (I was 16.)

Benjamin Newton I asked you the above question, partially in jest, due to proponents of Government run healthcare, including President Obama, mentioning rascal like foot wranglers and appendix loppers, making thousands on unneeded or unwarranted surgeries. But thank you for your honest comment.

I believe, for me, this comes down to two questions: Rationing, which logically, in my mind must occur; and the cost of the project…especially now, with an unsure economy. 3 million folks, many of them aged (the prime users of the system are aged, I believe)…how are the costs (taxation, etc) kept under control in your country? And have you seen an increase in cost to taxpayers over the years?

In the above account, did you have the surgery?

Michael Ashcroft Sorry, I’m not familiar with American political in-jokes!

I’m not aware of tax increases for the NHS simply because I’m too young. I’ve not been in full time employment yet (to pay taxes). That said, a little Googling reveals that taxes have been raised to cover the cost of the NHS, yes.

No doubt there are cowboys in the NHS. There are all kinds of scandals surrounding it regarding costs, huge waiting lists, people dying in hospital of MRSA and more besides. I’m not familiar with intricate details of how the NHS works, but I am able to dispel the myth that we Brits hate it. I’ve yet to come across a single person with that view point.

I did have surgery, but it was done privately. That said- the surgery was performed by a surgeon who worked for both BUPA (private) and the NHS. Many doctors do that because the feel that working for the NHS is the right thing while supplementing their income privately.

Notes:

The E111 has been replaced by the EHIC: It allows access to state funded healthcare as though we were nationals of that country ourselves, so if that country charges, then we would have to pay too.

Repatriation doctors do cost money, but often an assisted flight home is cheaper than paying to be in a foreign hospital for who knows how long.

While we debate the merits of the House Health Care Bill HR 3200, we should learn that they best way to educate ourselves is to investigate all avenues and resources, learn as much as we can in order to make a informed decision.

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