The NHS is something that most Brits will fight tooth and nail to keep. When I was diagnosed with cancer I was seen at a specialist hospital with 2 weeks, they then paid for a hotel for my family and me when I had proton beam treatment in a different part of the country. This treatment would cost $250,000 in the USA, it cost me the price of lunch and dinner for a week. I really love the NHS

The key thing that Americans miss, is that the extra sums we pay each month to have this are often cheaper than the insurance premiums they pay each month. So we pay less each month for way more - plus not having to worry about it at all! It also encourages us to seek help earlier when the illness is not so advanced and the cost of treatment much less. By Americans waiting until it's critical it means treatment costs are way way more!

I know everyone has different experiences but I have worked and been a patient in a good few different hospitals and they have never been dirty. I’ve seen that mentioned on a few videos of Americans explaining the NHS. The domestic staff work extremely hard and I don’t think they get enough credit xx

NHS is amazing. My friend unfortunately had a heart attack recently. He had a paramedic stabilising him within minutes of calling for help and was in the operating room of the local hospital within an hour putting stents in. He was fit to come home 3 days later. I recently needed some physio on my back. I could go via the NHS for free but wait 2 months or pay £50 a session and go to the same practice but privately and been seen in a week. This is the NHS. Non emergency care can take time as emergency care is prioritized.

Us Brits like to complain about the shortfalls of the NHS but we LOVE it and are fiercely protective of it. My Dad remembers a time before the NHS, and he says it's the best thing we have done as a country.

Many Americans can't stand the idea of their healthcare being "socialised", when in fact their army, navy, police force etc is already socialised.

I’m English living in the U.K., and I’m coming to the end of a three month NHS experience. I discovered late on a Friday night a very scary looking, very large burst blister on my foot. I went to Accident and Emergency at 8:30 the next morning. I waited for two minutes to see a triage nurse. Then I waited less than ten minutes to see a consultant. He sent me to hospital and gave me the name of a department to go to. I arrived, went to the department named and was greeted by a nurse who knew my name and was waiting for me. Half an hour later I was in bed. I had a three week stay in hospital, was on IV antibiotics 24/7. I had a CAT scan, an MRI, X-rays and a ECG from a cardiology consultant. I was under the care of a vascular surgeon who I saw everyday. I came close to losing my leg, but they saved me. There was so much effort focussed on me, and the food was great! Upon discharge, I was fitted with an Off-Loading boot, to protect the wound on my foot. Oh and my three week car park fee was waved. In the eight weeks since discharge my leg has been cleaned treated and redressed three times a week. Once by a specialist treatment nurse, once by a podiatrist and once by the consultant. My large, deep wound is almost healed. The car parking charges for all those visits were also waved. The whole experience has cost my NOTHING! Nor have all the other treatments I receive. The reason why your country provides so much disinformation is that too many people are making too much money out of your system. Your system is morally bankrupt. Defenders of your system say, Ah, it’s not free, you pay for it by your taxes. Yes, you pay your taxes too, as much, if not more than we do, but those taxes don’t pay for any of your medical expenses. The only argument in the US not to adopt our system is that 1% of the population, those who already have 90% of your wealth might lose out. Crazy fear drives your country.

Hi Tyler, I’ve just spent 4 months in hospital after having a major heart attack. I was taken by emergency ambulance to a specialist heart unit. I’m now home but still having aftercare. Because of my age, over 60, all my prescription drugs, and I’ve a lot, are all free. Don’t forget, I’ve also had a number of X-rays, CT Scans, none of which I’ve had a bill for.

If a visitor to the UK needs urgent medical care, it is available, free of charge. We wouldn't have it any other way.

I think there's an element of our different cultures. UK residents have accepted that a percentage of their taxes paid go toward the NHS to help others. US folk seem to take the attitude 'why should my taxes help someone else'

Can you imagine if you had to pay for the fire brigade in an emergency, or get a bill for calling the police? Healthcare is the same as these vital services

Just seems like in America people would rather feed a corporation than support their neighbour. It’s pretty sad.

I think all of us in the UK knows the NHS isn't perfect but not worrying about having to worry about the costs of drugs like insulin and worrying that being ill might bankrupt you is more than to keep supporting it

my biggest shock about healthcare was when I came to America for the first time in 1987 and I saw soooooo many people with missing teeth… I thought it was disgusting even then that the U.S. cannot provide minimal standards of mental health and dignity to its citizens… One‘s wealth should not equate one‘s access to health care. You should not get an automatic death sentence for getting cancer just because you are poor…

NHS is the pride of Britain' the nurses are amazing as are the doctors we would be lost without them I'm so glad that I was born in England

I’ve been in a number of hospitals in different areas of England, and they have never been dirty. The quality of care has also always been excellent

Our hospitals are not dirty. The quality of care is great. We do have upto date equipment. Recently, I had a 3d x-ray. I've also had loads of different scans. The urgent illness is the quicker you are seen. During the first lockdown, my husband was diagnosed with a lump on a kidney within 2 weeks. It had been removed and tested, which came back cancerous. He is still receiving treatment. Also, some NHS doctors do private work.

NHS hospitals are very clean at least my local hospital is. My room when I recently had a stay in hospital, was cleaned on average twice if not on a few ocassions three times, a day. Also the food was plentiful: Breakfast Lunch - a nice warm meal plus desert. A choice from three options Dinner - another nice warm meal plus desert. A choice from three options Mid evening snack of a choice of various sandwiches and biscuits Tea and/or coffee when you wanted one.

Yes the NHS has its faults just like anything but to me it just the “gift that keeps on giving”. I’ve had 2 heart attacks, (ambulance on both occasions) had a stent fitted each time. I’ve had a procedure to close a hole in my heart. I’ve also had cancer twice (major surgery on both occasions and hospital stays on 3 weeks on each occasion) chemotherapy and now follow up checks every 5 years to make sure it’s not come back. My late husband was diabetic and all his meds were free. Because of my past cancer my meds were free. (When I lived in wales all meds were free for everyone but I’m now in England). I’m now over 60 so even though in England my meds are now free. Yes there are waiting lists but if something is life threatening you’ll be seen quickly. From my cancer diagnosis to surgery I waited 2 weeks. Yes it comes out of taxes but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to pay it. We pay something called National Insurance which is deducted from earnings. This not only covers NHS treatment but also covers state pensions when you get to pension age and any benefits like sickness pay and unemployment benefits. I guarantee that I paid less towards all of this a month that Americans pay a month for their health care and they still get hit with a co-pay. Give me the NHS any day. GOD BLESS THEM ABD LONG MAY THEY CONTINUE. I’d be dead or bankrupt if I lived in the good old U S of A.

I have used health care in both the US and the UK. The notable difference was the amount of unnecessary procedures in the US. I had around 100 mri scans where three or four were all that were actually looked at. The care was better in the UK, as was the food. In the US I got colleagues to bring me food in.

The NHS started in 1948. I am 59. I have used the NHS throughout my life. The care i have received has always been excellent, the facilities clean, modern and welcoming and the technology has always been first class. ❤

Yes, we in the UK pay through taxes on our earnings, but the extra tax still is far less costly to the individual than the costs in insurance & out of pocket costs that Americans have to pay. Also it is not tied to one's job, so one need not fear loss of income stopping health care. Private health care is available in the UK, paid by insurance as in the US, which may allow the jumping of queues for some services, care in fancy private hospitals etc, but often they just get regular NHS treatment. The regular tax take on income is more like 2/300 per month, but much of the NHS cost to the Government comes out of general taxation. England, Scotland, Wales & N Ireland each have their own NHS unit, with some slight differences, but all on the same basis.

Private insurance means you get a fancier room and food. Private hospitals don't have emergency rooms and if the condition is serious they send you to the NHS.

In the Uk and the fact your job is not connected to healthcare, gives you more freedom to decide to swap jobs or take a career break , or try start a business , to know that you and your family are always covered should anyone should fall ill, is just one extra worry we don’t have. And they say USA is the land of the free ! Really ?

In the last 22 years i have had 4 life saving ops, iv had a 5 month stay a 10 week stay a month in intencive care and HDU. Iv been all over the country and had loads of scans etc and get my bloods done at home every 2 weeks. I also had a team of 5 consultants and a profesor keep me alive. The paramedics know me so well they always ask how my dog is 20 odd years ago yes my local hospital could have been cleaner but now its very very clean, also the food is good and the staff are fantastic. I deeply love the NHS.

Calling the hospitals dirty feels a little far, I've never seen it be the case when I have visited. One thing to note is that the NHS would fail miserably if it wasn't for the hard work the staff put into it. Hospitals are underfunded and have more patients than room, which must cause a huge amount of stress on the people working there. The staff work as hard as they do because they want it to be better. They sure as hell don't do it for the money they get.

YES WE DO LOVE ARE NHS ❤ and the history of the NHS is amazing

In the UK we all pay a tax called National Insurance. It helps pay for the NHS, pensions and unemployment payments. 😊

So this year, I’ve had, 3 appointments with my General Practitioner, 6 outpatients appointments at various hospitals, 4 blood draws/tests, 8 prescriptions (including two lots of antibiotics), and my out of pocket expenses, just over 70 quid (about $90)

Earnings are taxed here, and from the taxes collected by the government, a percentage is used for the NHS. We pay a certain amount for a prescription but it's nowhere near the full cost of the medication. Operations and childbirth are free. Kids and once you reach retirement age you don't pay for meds.

I think most people who use the NHS would say they’ve had very good treatment. Yes, the waiting lists for non urgent operations are longer than we would like but overall, they give excellent service in difficult circumstances.

Your comment about not knowing where your taxes go to. Here in the UK we are sent a statement at the end of each tax year. Detailing how much we paid in tax and National insurance. With itamised statement of how much was spent on what.

I just went through a heart bypass , couple of weeks in hospital three meals a day ,i left the backup was fantasic, can't fault . In the uk if you really need it you get it.

I feel sorry for the people in the US. Health access no matter who you are should be a right not how deep your pocket is. Yes our NHS Isn't perfect but my real worry is not the bill but how soon i can get back to a normal life. Good video

Always good to see you tackle heavier issues Tyler, you tackled it well! I enjoyed this one!

In early September I went to my GP as I was unwell. Zero cost. Gave blood samples. Zero cost. Next day was referred to local NHS hospital for checks. Zero cost. Admitted to ward and spent nearly 7 weeks on IV antibiotics treating bacterial infection in heart. Zero cost - for room, nursing care, medicines, food and more. Also had a number of procedures including multiple x-rays, CT scan, TEE endoscopy, Colonoscopy, Angiogram, Ultrasounds, ECGs, dental treatment. Zero cost. Transferred late October to different NHS hospital by ambulance. Zero cost. Similar list of ward room and some procedures. Zero cost. Major heart surgery on Halloween - whilst scary zero cost. ICU and HDU specialised care. Zero cost. Four weeks of inpatient recovery including IV antibiotics. Zero cost. Discharged with supply of medicine. Zero cost. Taxi home. Zero cost. Yes I pay UK taxation from salary but the financies did not enter my head once. I did look at a US hospital and cost this 11 week stay - was way in excess of $500k excluding drugs ! The NHS is far from perfect but needs protected.

My friend has skin cancer and also has private insurance at about $30 a month. The actual cancer treatment is handled by the NHS and then she uses insurance to move to the private wing. She sees the same oncologist and dermatologist but she gets wine with dinner and a nicer coffee.

I love the NHS and am so grateful for it! My son has a lifelong complex health condition which means regular imaging (ultrasound, MRI and MAG3) on top of medication throughout the day, and the hospital stays - we’ve never paid a penny! My mum had cancer and all her treatment was free! My father had a stroke and massive bleed on the brain, and was in a private ICU room with a 1:1 nurse, and we never paid a penny! I’d also like to point out that when there are “co-pays” for prescriptions, it’s about £13!!!

Private Healthcare is available in the UK but it is usually the same consultant you will see both in the NHS and privately. Private Healthcare allows people to be seen quickly for non life threatening conditions so to get a new hip would be quicker and you would jump queues. I have never had private healthcare through my job. I work in local government in education as did my father. We always used the NHS. I only know 1 person who had private healthcare through their job and it was my uncle. My aunt had access to private healthcare even after his death and she made use of it but also made good use of the NHS too. I am Scottish and in Scotland we only pay for dental with a co-pay through the NHS. I recently had root treatment which cost about £20. In Scotland, like Wales, we do not pay for any medications either from our doctors GP's and medications given at hospital. We also have a service at Pharmacies which give some free over the counter medications from a list of free medications per NHS authority. My authority is one of the biggest Greater Glasgow & Clyde. My father had gall bladder surgery while abroad in France and this cost £16.000 which was paid in full through a government travel card. He only had to pay for injections before and following surgery which were paid for through his travel insurance. Long live the NHS.

The idea of your job providing healthcare is disturbing to me. What happens if you lose your job? do you no longer have access to medical treatments? how is giving your employer the power of life and death over you not a form of slavery? Also, I'm currently sat in a wheelchair that was free on the NHS, a week after seeing my neurologist, again, free on the NHS, having taken medication that was free on the NHS this morning. I have a physiotherapy appointment that is free on the NHS in a few days and am anticipating an upcoming MRI that will be free on the NHS. I'm also wearing a pair of glasses that came at a significant NHS discount (I basically only paid to have the lenses thinned, which is fair enough, taxpayers should not fund my vanity). I'm not sure how I could cope if this stuff came out of my pocket and we didn't have an NHS.

We've had a fair few governments that have or attempting to dismantle the NHS. It's a shame as the NHS is one of the greatest achievements ever in the uk

I think one of the best things about socialised health care like the NHS, and most other systems around the world, is that they do preventative stuff so much better. I've heard so many shocking stories from Americans putting off going to get their 'issue' sorted out cos they're scared of the cost, only to find that they've left it too late when they do finally go and then have some incurable disease. We have regular testing for all sorts of things. For example, as a woman, I've had regular smear tests all through my life, I have annual asthma reviews, now that I'm over 50 I get regular test for diabetes and general health montioring. When I was pregnant with my three daughters I had regular test throughout my pregnancies and that's just my circumstances, other people with other issues will have their own regular tests. This is so much better at catching things early.

My Mum unfortunately has terminal cancer. I'm not sure what we would do without the NHS. The care she has had is amazing. Admittedly the waits in the ambulance and call times to speak to a GP are very long sometimes, but I'm never scared of calling them and they are just awesome. TBH I think Mum would be dead without the NHS.

Another feature of the NHS is that people with certain diseases, especially those of the endocrine system like diabetes and underactive thyroid do not get charged for their medication. All UK residents register with a doctor called a general practitioner (GP). For minor illnesses, the GP provides the treatment and writes prescriptions. The GP can refer patients for x rats, scans, further investigations ec. He/she can make provisional diagnosis then refer the patient to a specialist at a hospital. We all pay National Insurance from our wages to pay for the NHS and the benefits and pensions services. Some people do opt to pay extra for private health care, but usually only if they're wealthy

In the next 3 months, I will be having a heart valve replacement. All the tests and the actual operation will be given without me needing to pay a penny. Also,if I am unable to get to the hospital, I can arrange transport also without paying.

To quote Tony Benn "If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people." A strange fact is if the USA switched to the UK model the amount of revenue needed would be almost the same as it is now. The reason is the cost of drugs you are forced to pay!

Some companies will offer private insurance as a perk to employees. One major reason for this is that it also applies abroad, so if you spend a lot of time abroad for your job, it's important to have it. Another is that private often has shorter wait times. Finally there's "No recourse to public funds" visas (A type of permission to stay where you can't access welfare, this applies to family members of someone on a work visa). The NHS will still treat those people for emergencies, but not other care. So they often need private or have to pay the NHS surcharge of 600 pounds-ish a year to gain access. If you move to the UK on a work visa and bring your family, your employer offering you private health insurance as a perk will cover your family. Otherwise they would need to pay the surcharge. If you're a family of 4, and you move here on one persons work visa, the surcharge would amount to 1,800 a year. Cheaper to just get the private insurance while waiting for citizenship.

England NHS - End of 2022 I got Pneumonia + Sepsis, 5wks in hospital, ambulance to take me there, blood tests, 2 x CT scans, several X-rays, VATS to clear out Pleural cavity, antibiotics, bed, food, excellent service, 2 out patient appointments ... & It was clean!!!!, - no bill at the end.

The key point is that healthcare is provided based on need and urgency. Someone suffering a heart attack will be seen and treated immediately. A non life threatening condition may have to wait.

An additional fun fact: The NHS is funded by the national insurance tax which is around 5%, it doesn't only just fund the NHS but numerous other public services, and the total cost on average is much lower than what the average american pays. It also contributes to your state pension, so basically eventually you get most if not all of the money you spent on the NHS back in retirement. The NHS is in a bit of a dire state due to underfunding by the tories and the tories wish to privatise the healthcare industry making it american-like which would be, yeesh.

Tyler in 2020 I had multiple cardiac arrests,was rushed to a specialist hospitsl by ambulance. Had stents fitted,a quad bypass,and a heart valve replaced. I was on ECMO life support in a coma for a month and had a ICD defibrillator fitted and I'm on life long drugs now, and all that has cost me nothing. All on the NHS. Since I turned 60 even my prescriptions are free.

I had several major heart-attacks due to an undiscovered birth defect that only became apparent when I was 60 years old! I required major open-heart surgery and I was in hospital for a month and had a ‘piggy’ valve grown especially for me in a Petri dish a few days before the operation. 5 days after the operation I was released and a year later I walked the 102 mile Cotswold Way National Trail to celebrate by regained health. When it comes to the ‘big stuff’ the NHS is world-class…….and by the way, it cost me NOTHING including all the prescription drugs, as I’m over 60, they are free too! 😊

Well you have socialised police and fire services. Even the armed forces are socialised... why would you not provide healthcare also?

I wonder if Tyler can imagine how shocking the US system looks to us. Support the NHS peeps!

In the UK some companies provide private health care insurance, this provides the option to have treatment when you want it rather than wait on a queue. Did you know that when the late Queen’s husband (Philip Duke of Edinburgh) was ill just before his death, he was transferred from his private hospital to an NHS hospital for a particular treatment, and when he was well enough he transferred back to the private hospital.

I’m 29, just tore and separated my ACL playing football, although I had a 6 month wait for the surgery, I’ve had an X-ray, MRI scan, multiple physio visits, general anaesthetic, crutches, surgery and a 6 month post op physio plan with appointments FOC. The staff are knowledgeable, attentive and the hospitals (although busy) are exceptional, clean and once you’re seen to - slick and efficient. That would’ve cost 20-50k in america without insurance and affected my insurance premium (which I probably couldn’t have afforded) leading to higher rates going forward. I’ve paid a good amount of taxes since turning 18, have a good job and I wouldn’t change our NHS for the world. People’s health shouldn’t be exploited for profit.

New Zealand has a socialised healthcare system similar to the UK in that it is funded by taxes. There are some variations in service delivery, for example, most dental care is not covered at this time although there seems to be a move toward that recently. It was introduced in the late nineteen thirties and functions alongside a private system for those who choose medical insurance, the same surgeons working in both private and public systems. As far as cost in real terms is concerned the cost for both systems is much cheaper than the US, being only a fraction the cost for comparable procedures.😢 In the public system this is because of economies of scale for purchasing power for pharmaceuticals and equipment, with only one purchaser for the whole country there is considerable bargaining leverage. Also there are reduced overheads ie, no advertising, no debt recovery, no legal costs (New Zealand is a non litigious society and medical misadventure is covered by our government operated accident compensation scheme.) The biggie of course is that there is no profit rake off, every dollar going into health goes to providing healthcare. Even private insurance is much cheaper as many of our medical insurance organisations are cooperative, no profit organisations and long term care is covered by the public system, so the risk of a patient becoming a long term drain on the insurer is not the same as in the US so is not factored into costs.

The most shocking thing is the US actually spend more tax dollars per capita on healthcare than the UK does. The US is basically propping up private profiteering rather than spending less to prioritise patient care.

So a couple of points I feel the video could have explained a bit more; the tax for healthcare in the UK is called National Insurance, and as part of the most widely used tax assessment system, PAYE (pay as you earn), all taxes including this are deducted from your pay before you receive it and are detailed on your payslip, meaning you never see that money since you get paid your net pay after deductions and we never have to think about a tax return as part of that system since it’s processed by your employer, so a lot of people don’t think about it at all. Also, the NHS does cover the whole UK, but, at least in Scotland, it’s a devolved matter, meaning the Scottish government (in this case) manages it. There are differences in how it is managed, for example in Scotland we don’t have charges for filling prescriptions at pharmacies and our hospital car parks are free of charge to use. I’m using Scotland as an example because I am a Scot born and raised, so this is what I’m used to. Another point the video raised is that every single party from left to right runs on supporting the NHS (to varying degrees). Even during the pandemic, the conservatives supported a widespread campaign of public support for the NHS where each day at a certain time (I don’t remember exactly when but it was 6 or 7pm), people stood on their doorsteps and applauded in solidarity for our doctors and nurses. Sounds silly, but it was quite touching. Since the pandemic public support for the NHS has been more open than ever, especially for us brits and our “stiff upper lip” approach to showing emotions. I’ve seen people stopping nurses and doctors in supermarkets and in the streets to thank them for their service like an army vet.

Took my mother for an operation this morning modern & clean care was fantastic nhs amazing

In the UK, woe betide any politician who proposes to turn the NHS into a US style system...

I’ve NEVER been a dirty NHS hospital 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

as someone who had experience with the NHS today it makes me really grateful, i took an unknown allergic reaction to peanut butter cookies, thankfully there’s a hospital 2 minutes away from school so i went along to A&E with my mum, within 10 minutes i was signed in and seeing a doctor and that’s with the waiting room PACKED full of people, they took me to the major unit for monitoring and medication, they later gave me my own private room with its own bathroom (which was great as i was throwing up) after 5 hours and monitoring they simply asked if i felt okay to go home or if i wanted to stay, being able to say “i’ll just go home” and walk out with no catch is such a relief yet saddening that many don’t get that experience.

Our hospital are not like hotels but they are not dirty I spent 3 months in hospital had open heart surgery and because I live in wales don’t pay for medication

Healthcare is not good in the UK at the moment. Try other European countries. We in the Netherlands have a good system. US is the only country in the world that doesn't have universal healthcare......

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, within 2 months I had various scans/ xrays , 2 operations plus radiotherapy & tablets for 10 years, in 2021 I was taken in as an emergency diagnosed with bowel cancer, in hospital for a week I had major surgery plus follow up scans/ xrays & chemotherapy plus follow up appointments for 5 years all at no cost (apart from income tax which I paid for 48 years) the care I received was excellent, we are so lucky to have the NHS.

In the UK we have private healthcare available to us for a monthly insurance. BUPA, Benenden Health, Nuffield Health, Spire etc. We would get seen quicker in private healthcare but they don’t do emergency healthcare. My husband had a hernia. As it was not life threatening he would have had to wait a long time to have surgery under the NHS so he was able to get a referral letter from the GP saying he would have to wait ages for surgery & had his surgery under Benenden.

I'm a type 1 diabetic, everything is free, I get a blood monitor , test strips, lancets, insulin, all prescriptions are completely free for me. 12 week blood tests etc. Everything. You never have to worry. I've worked in the NHS almost all of my adult life.

As i live in England, I'm under NHS England. I do have to co-pay my prescribed outpatient medication. My sister lives in Wales and is under NHS Wales where ALL prescribed medication is free. The co-pay amount is per item on the prescription, regardless of whether it's a 2 week, 1 month, or three minth supply. If you have a number of medications that you need to take, you can see if a prepayment certificate is cheaper. The current charges are £9.65 for a single prescribed item, and £111.60 per year for the prepayment certificate. I save about £10 per year, plus i know that if im ill with something else, my medication for that is also covered.

If we have serious illnesses that need immediate treatment we get it. Our nurses and doctors are among the best in the world for care and commitment and when I was diagnosed with cancer, I had amazing treatment from doctor, specialists to aftercare. I am an NHS cancer survivor and proud of what we have. PS our ambulances and the paramedics are free and can save lives before you even reach a hospital

I agree... I don't know how you cope with it in the USA. I've not lived in the UK for over a decade, but when I did(iirc), the NHS was the first deductible from your salary, amounting to 10% of your paycheck. But for that, you get road/air ambulances, A&E (Emergency room), repeat non-emergency travel to the hospital, general surgery, major operations, transplant (heart/kidney, etc), significant dental discount, basic prescription glasses..... and so on, and so on... (this is at any hospital/doctore/dentist/optician) Private health care is available, and can give you single rooms, and shorter wait times for operations, etc. It doesn't cover elective surgeries however (although, orthodontics, braces, etc are free for children. Plus there's an upper cap on a total dental plan. When I left you could get a root canal on every tooth, bridge work, veneers etc and you couldn't pay more than £1000). Prescriptions are also capped (currently at about £10 per prescription... for ANYTHING) They also have a bunch of countries where they will reciprocate healthcare on the same basis (25 countries, maybe... it changes. Commonwealth countries are pretty much covered... except Canada, but their healthcare system is similar anyway). So if I went to Serbia, and broke my leg, the U.K would pay for it... likewise if a Sebian citizen broke their leg in the U.K... the U.K would pay for it. It's the ONE thing we really need to keep hold of as a nation, and is a matter of British pride. If you watch the UK 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, we had a whole section dedicated to the NHS... because we love it.| You can check KZfaq for the UK Ambulance series and see some of the crap the paramedics will deal with because they system is free OMG moment: My sister who lives in the USA got tested to give a kidney to my dad, and the NHS paid for her tests in the USA and partially covered her travel to the UK to donate the kidney.. and obviously covered the cost both surgeries in the U.K

I recently have had a lot of tests and indeed urgent referral for a potential major disease (I’m ok tho). I’ve not had to fill out a single form, no one has asked me for any money, I’ve had same day appointments, scans, blood tests, appointments with my own doctor, specialists etc. it’s all just happened through the NHS. We love the NHS here in the UK. So much that in the London Olympics the opening and closing ceremonies celebrated our NHS. People love it so much we have street art with the NHS logo. It’s not perfect and it’s under funded but we are so lucky. The NHS is generally one of the main political issues in elections - with all parties having to make a big play of what and how they will support the NHS. No one can win an election in the UK without promises to the NHS. The NHS covers all the UK tho there are different arrangements in the 4 countries.

The NHS isn’t perfect, and wait times are long, which is why some opt for private care. However, we pride ourselves on the NHS and the services we get. My sister was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 15, and has been through numerous types of Novo pens, day/night insulin, regular clinics to check her eyesight, feet, etc, and she doesn’t have to worry about costs. About 9 years ago, my mum had Leukaemia and spent 6 months in hospital receiving Chemotherapy, blood and platelets. There was talk of a bone marrow transplant but in the end she didn’t need it. I believe the (hidden) cost of Chemotherapy is around £10,000 per dosage per person. We don’t get billed for that. We pay a certain percentage for taxes each month, and the government subsidies the rest

There are issues with the NHS, mostly caused by lack of funding, but on the whole is is very good. I've been in hospital multiple times, both for myself and to visit family members and I have never seen a dirty hospital. I used to have private healthcare through one of my employees, but hardly ever used it as the NHS was quicker. The times I did use it, it was typically to shorten the time I had to wait to get an MRI or similar scan fro a non life-threatening condition. If I needed treatment, it was always very quick with the NHS. I've noticed in the last 5-10 years my GP has got a lot more proactive and I often receive invitations to go and have various tests for things like colon cancer, diabetes etc. It is cost effective for them to do this as if they can nip it in the bud prior to it becoming serious, it saves them money and is better for you. When it comes to paying for prescription medicine, the standard cost works out to about $12.50 per item. Typically an item might be a box of tablets designed to last you for a month. If you have more complex health issues that require multiple medicines each month, you can pay for an annual certificate for about $140 which covers an unlimited amount of medication. You mentioned that the healthcare you did get in the US was good, but it is worth noting that healthcare outcomes in the UK are higher than in the US. So, you might be seen quicker and go to a fancier hospital, but the overall outcome from your treatment will be better in the UK. This may be due more to the capitalist nature of both your healthcare system and your working practices. We probably get more time to recover in hospital than you, and then we also don't have the same pressure you do to go straight back to work.

General Practitioners - the first doctor you would see, who would be situated, probably, locally to you, are actually independent contractors to the NHS. They can also be private and not contracted to the NHS. The general practitioner makes the diagnosis of your complaint and either prescribes a treatment there and then, or refers you to a specialist in a hospital.

I find it interesting that your selection of things that are a ‘choice’ to buy were staple foods (and in the UK pregnant mothers and children under the age of 4 can get support to buy those staples from the NHS)

New Zealand 🇳🇿 also has a National Healthcare System and they also have a system called ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) which covers the cost of sports related injuries, from walking, rugby, cycling, fishing, jogging to motor sports.

London calling. Plus home visits from community health nurses ,If a patient is on welfare they can calm their transport fare back , the local pharmacy can deliver your prescription to your home for free . I have heard the USA say why should we pay for people we don't know .In my country my family work for a living so when one gets unwell all the family have paid into the NHS for their treatment.

To clarify a few points, it does cover all the UK, if you are a UK citizen you get cover, so really those that do pay taxes help people who don't. Even a penniless homeless guy can got get health care. My son is a physiotherapist and once a month helps at a clinic for homeless people set up in a church. It is more triage, but it doesn't mean they then can't get further treatment at a hospital if needed. Private health is for people who can afford it, bit like the US, but the NHS does have long waiting times for non urgent treatment. Private health care allows you to get treatment done privately, as it say, much mor quickly that on the NHS. Need a new hip, private patient, that you for your premiums, when would you like it done? NHS, it's free but you may wait 18 months for it. as the saying goes, "Pay you Money, Make you choices". Though like said, if you are broke, you will still get that hip replacement, just not quickly Think of our NHS as you Second Amendment, we feel it is our right

I'm 77 and until around a year ago never stayed in hospital. No details but it was 999 with stomach pains - BAD ones. My local hospital was the third worse in the UK for giving customers Covid. I went for a cataract appointment and both my wife and I got Covid. Two years of being very careful down the drain and 'long Covid' was on special offer for myself. I had to spend 2 days in hospital re the stomach problem and got a grade A dose of cystitis. What they term as 'complicated cystitis' is worse if you are (a) male and (b) it's caught in a clinical environment. I also was down for a heart 'stent' found during a CT scan. Due to the fact that 3 lots of antibiotics have not cured the cystitis and after 14 weeks I am very weak - they have cancelled all treatment and sent me home to die. My aorta is 68mm. I am determined to hang on until 30th March 2024. 50 years with the old dragon and two super daughters. I was supposed to hear from my doctor - nothing. I'm not going near my hospital again, 77 - not good but that's life ?

Such as the queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham UK. A lot of American military personnel get sent there for some treatment as it's the best hospital in the world

I'm in New Zealand. We have a broadly similar system (though dental is not covered). Pharmac (the Government's drug-buying agency) negotiates prices with suppliers, using its big-market muscle. (Drug companies hate it.) So drugs 'on the list' (which is most of them) are either free or attract a small prescription charge (usually depending on which party's in power at the time). I was with a private insurer, dating from the time decades ago when a neocon govt was threatening the health service; however it was a union-run co-operative so never gouged its members. I always had the option of going the 'public' route or 'going private' reimbursed by the insurer. Note that all medical costs (even private) here are way lower than in the US. GP visits here cost me $55 (varies according to which practice you go to). Referrals from them to the health system are generally free. The other component is ACC - Accident Compensation Commission. Paid by a levy on wages, it's a no-fault scheme (so NO LAWYERS FEES!) and meets virtually all costs if you have an accident. Last year a gust of wind slammed my car hood on my head, left me with a bleeding gash and looking like a horror movie, off to the local clinic for patch-up and an X-ray, cost me $19 (ACC paid the rest) Ambulances are mostly subsidised, they tend to send you a $90 bill in the post after the event (no demanding $$ upfront), if you can't pay I don't think they chase you. I rang the free 'healthline' at 4a.m. one day because I had an unexplained pain in my chest, they persuaded me to let them send an ambulance, ambulance gave me an ECG in my driveway and concluded it wasn't heart, they wanted to take me to hospital but I declined because I had to fly down to meet the family that day. They made me promise to go and get fully checked a.s.a.p. on arrival - which I did - kidney stone. Last year, with increasing age, I gave up my 'private' insurance since premiums were creeping up. Since then wife's had two cataract operations, I've had a prostate, scans for kidney stones, total cost - parking. This is one of the reasons I've never complained about paying taxes when I was working. I do have a small-but-suspicious mole removal scheduled for which I'll have to pay because apparently that's one of the few things that aren't covered. Oh, and a few weeks ago in south of France, I had the misjudgement to park my rental car upside down. The paramedic agreed that I looked okay (thank you seat belts!) but wanted to take me to hospital to make sure. 60 winding miles later, as I was wheeled into A&E, I said urgently to the doctor "I need to pee!." He said "No no, it's FREE!" "No, not pay, PEE!" Six hours later, after tests and CT scans, they were unable to find anything wrong with me (I was bloody lucky considering the state of the car) and discharged me with a sheaf of tests results - and no bill. Oh, and in none of these cases do you have to 'apply' for assistance. Well, technically to get ACC you have to substantiate that it's an accident, but that's usually just the GP or emergency provider filling in a short form on your behalf. Significantly, none of these things are means-tested - you can be broke or a billionaire, the treatment is free. I suspect this saves a lot more in processing costs (not to mention hassles for the patient) than it would ever recover. And anyway the billionaire has probably paid more than his share in taxes so... And that's the other really great thing: in retirement, I never have to worry financially about what will happen if I or my wife falls ill.

I pay my money to the NHS out of my pay packet each month ... and do it gladly. I have had two major operations in my life, Minor issues and I am currently waiting for hand surgery. Yes I have had to wait and maybe I might not get an immediate appointment to see my GP - but I know that if I lived in the US those two operations alone would have bankrupted me. Thank You fellow Brits for paying into the NHS which saved my life. Thank You to All who work for the NHS.

As a Brit in my 40s, I had to look up the term copay as I'd never heard it used before.

So firstly the NHS is available in the whole of the UK not just in England and we also pay National Insurance ( around 9%) of our gross income which helps to fund the NHS. We also pay around £9 for prescription medication, however medication is free if you are in full time education or you are pregnant

The NHS covers all of the UK. Each nation (England, Scotland, Wales and NI) has some degree of autonomy. That means that they are responsible for administering the NHS in their region. For example, Scotland and Wales has abolished all prescription charges. England however, still charges in some circumstances. GPS are private businesses but they are contracted to the NHS. Hospitals are owned and managed by the state. Dentists are also private businesses but they are also contracted to the NHS. Waiting lists are an issue for NHS patients. For that reason, some people opt for private care which can be provided more quickly.

You can get private healthcare here too, subsidised by insurance in some cases - but they have to compete with the NHS which gives a good baseline service, which means the private companies must make clear what they offer above the NHS, and also why you should pay the extra.

NHS is UK-wide, but Scotland NHS is separately managed from England NHS. An example of where they differ is that ALL prescriptions in Scotland are at no cost, while in England and Wales there is a charge. The voluntary private medical insurance overcomes some of the short comings of the NHS by offering some services that are no longer freely given and can also fast track treatment.

When working we pay National Insurance via our taxes to pay for the NHS, and income taxes, but when at retirement age, the NI Contributions stop, Prescriptions become free, but still pay income taxes. So we can be hospitalised for treatments from women giving birth, a broken toe nail, arm or leg to heart and lung surgeries and any other ailments without having a massive Bill when discharged to worry about . Also visiting a Doctor or being Hospitalised doesn't cost a bean. Calling out an Ambulance is also free of charge I think calling out one in the US can be a $1,00 or so depending on which State it is in? US, patient in Hospital, patient: 'I have a headache so can I have a Paracetamol/Aspirin please?' 'Doctor/Nurse: Of course, and that's another $60 on to your Bill'.......😄 I have only been in 3 Hospitals for 1. a broken arm (when a kid, about 1958) 2. SMR, 1962 when in RAF, 3.. Abscess removal 2018, and was treated well by the Doctors and Nurses.

The NHS is "Free" at the point of service, but is paid for through taxation (but this still tends to cost less than US medical insurance). There is also no co-pay, or deductibles, or any other of these insurance complications. It covers family doctor visits and treatment, all hospital treatment, ambulances and paramedic visits. Prescriptions are not generally free (except for people on low or fixed incomes, or some long-term health issues), but have a fixed price of about £10 per item, whether the drug actually costs £1 or £10,000. There is also a prepay scheme for prescriptions, for about £13 per months, all your prescriptions are covered.

'co-pay' in the UK is capped at £9.65 per prescription. You can opt into a yearly fee of £110 and get all the prescriptions you need with that fee. EG after a stroke and with COPD -= 7 prescriptions/month for £110 yearly.

The NHS has literally been my life. I started to train as a nurse when I was 17. I worked in the NHS for my career in a variety of roles. And sadly I’ve needed it a lot in my health life - without the NHS I’d have been bankrupt in my 20s. The NHS is a vital service to keep. We pay for it through our taxes. It is termed as ‘Free at the point of service’ We pay toward prescriptions, but seriously nowhere near the US cost of meds. You can get prepay certificates to reduce the costs, and if you’re disabled like me it’s free. You will NEVER have to pay for any surgery, dr visit, A&E visit, ambulance etc up front or after treatment. Visitors to the UK have cover thru country to country/gov to gov cover. If you need emergency treatment whilst you’re in the UK, you won’t pay a thing.

My aunt was at a nails appointment and started to have a heart attack. They called the ambulance, she was collected by the ambulance, taken to hospital in the next town along, assessed and given heart surgery. From being at the nail salon to finishing surgery: 45 minutes! And for free and treated amazingly, then given delicious nutritious food and a comfortable bed for a few days while being cared for in hospital. Her birthday unfortunately had to be celebrated in hospital and the nurses surprised her with a birthday banana and sang, all super lovely and funny… zero complaints about the nhs here.

Health care in the UK from the cradle to the grave. Our NHS is called the jewel in the crown. Yes it is a hot potato for politicians who want to interfere. If you have a life threatening condition, you will be treated. However for non threatening conditions the wait can be lengthy. In a effort to cut costs private companies are providing diagnostic services on behalf of the NHS.

My recent NHS care with costs: Doctor's visits (about four): £0 Three ambulance rides: £0 Two stays overnight in the emergency room: £0 Ultrasound scan: £0 MRI scan: £0 Several blood tests: £0 Blood transfusion: £0 26 tablets a day, including controlled painkillers: £9.65 per prescription (script), approx £80 in total for six months) Visits to two surgeons: £0 5.5hr state-of-the-art keyhole operation (only 5yrs ago they couldn't do that operation by keyhole): £0 Five nights in hospital including meals, medication and aftercare, where I had a private room and bathroom (not everyone gets a private room though): £0 Twice-daily visits for two weeks after I went home: £0 Several calls to an overnight doctor's helpline: £0 So far seven follow-up appointments: £0. I've looked up the cost in the US- the operation ALONE (without including any care in hospital, let alone all the pre- and post- operative treatments and medication) would be over £40,000. Total cost of taxes I've paid towards the NHS in my LIFETIME: approx £24,000. Yes there was a six month wait for the operation, but in that time I was monitored closely and I would have been moved up the waiting list if my condition got worse. Because I didn't have to worry about costs, I went to see a doctor as soon as I got symptoms, whereas in the US I don't doubt that people will ignore symptoms for longer, with potentially fatal consequences. The fact I went to a doctor straight away meant waiting six months for surgery was less risky over here, and they weighed up my life expectancy with the diagnosis (approx 5yrs without treatment) before deciding a six-month wait was going to be fine for me personally. There were issues with my care which very much upset me, but I am alive, I am cured, and I am debt-free. I can barely even make out the surgery scars. There are things that could be done very much better, but by God I'm glad I went through that in the UK.

Private healthcare is avaliable for anyone wanting to pay for it. The reasons are that the NHS has a "standardised" procedure for all patients that can involve waiting lists for none urgent treatment, wards of up to 6 to 8 beds and hospital food which these days has tasty daily menus of 3 or 4 choices. If you don't like any of the choices, tough! Most surgeons/consultants work part time for the NHS, working in private medicine for the balance of their work. So the consultants are nprmally exactly the same people you would see through the NHS. The main reason for "going private " is to avoid waiting lists. About 12 years ago, I developed lumps where i shouldn't have lumps. I went to see my NHS GP who said that there was a waiting list of 8 weeks to see the specialist consultant. I wasn't prepared to wait that long, so i phoned my local private hospital and asked for an appointment. I had no insurance, but I knew how to deal with it. Two days later, I was seeng the private consultant. After he confirmed that i had lumps, I told him I was happy to pay for the appointment, but had no insurance. He said that was OK, he would write to my GP saying that I should be put on the urgent list. [This was done in the form of a suggestion, but puts the GP in a quandry, as he could lose his job if he ignores the suggestion and it turns out that the Patient really did need urgent treatment] Within 10 days, I had seen the NHS consultant, and was in the operating theatre having a biopsy. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I received a course of treatment involving radiotherapy, scans and expensive drugs, several clinic appontments etc. I'm still here, and no sign of recurrence. All the NHS treatments cost me nothing. The Private appointment cost me £180 (bear in mind this was 12 years ago, so the present day charge will be perhaps 50% more). It was the best £180 that I ever spent. I never found out whether beating the waiting list was important for the success of my treatment, but it certainly saved me a lot of stress, and was good for my mental health. The NHS is a treasure we must fight to keep.

I live in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK and a few years before covis I went to see my GP as I was getting very sharp pains around my entire body and was told I had to wait 6 years just to see a specialist doctor to have 1 appointment. So I went private ans got seen the next week and was diagnosed as 1. Not having enough vitimin d 2. Being mildly intolerant to dairy products 3. Having too much fluid in my hip 1. I had to take supplements for a month 2. Cut out dairy 3.wating for fluid to get back to normal Overall spending about £300 to skip a 6 year wait I think was extremely worth it. As well as the NHS having worse waiting times due to covid which is due to England seeing NI as a waste of money and time. But when I went to a&e the doctors were very busy and most of them used a vending machine for their lunch and ate it in about five mins so that they could help the other patients. Not blaming the doctors but the NHS needs to be restructured urgently. Also in NI we don't even have a government at the moment so it'll never get solved.

I have been most unfortunate with my health, I have ulcerative colitis, have ongoing monitoring and medication for decades now, I have been diagnosed with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, had chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, I have been in remission for some years , but my am still monitored every three months, with blood tests, and a consult with my oncologist, I am also had surgery on my cervical discs, two broken legs, thankfully not at the same time. The cost? Car park fees, and even those are free for cancer patients. I know I would be dead without the NHS, I never complain about waiting times, and as for cleanliness, it’s perfectly clean, I don’t know where that claim came from. God bless the NHS, America, you don’t know what you’re missing!

It’s a form of taxation called National Insurance. Those that can afford it can go “private”, they pay an additional cost to a private insurance company BUT they still have access to the NHS. The standard of treatment is the same, it’s the after care that can be different, private room etc. Ultimately, if you’re I’ll or in an accident, you’re getting what is widely considered the best healthcare you can.

The NHS covers all the UK, however each country within the UK is responsible for its NHS. The political lobby in the US would hate socialised healthcare as the US system is based upon Profit with a capital P. I'm 68 so all my meds are "free". My wife had a heart attack whilst at work. An ambulance was called, they took her directly to a hospital in Birmingham that specialises in heart conditions. She was wheeled straight into theatre, where they implanted two stents. A few days later she had a further two fitted, and I fetched her from the hospital a week after she was admitted. Her ongoing meds are "free". Because it was during COVID (I couldn't visit her while she was in hospital) she had follow-up telephone calls with a medic who kept in touch throughout the recuperation process. She's now fit and well thanks to the NHS. And we didn't spend one penny. I did have health insurance as well when I was at work. Two weeks ago I had my second carpel tunnel op on my hand which was outsourced, by the NHS, to a local private hospital.