Non-Americans with universal healthcare. Do you prefer your system or privatized like the U.S. Why?

[Father Heathen]

Many in the U.S. argue against universal healthcare and how terrible it is, yet I never heard anyone from outside the states voice their disdain for it nor how they held an envious desire for U.S. style healthcare. Someone claimed that this was because you're too oppressed to know better. So what's the case?

 

[Rival]

I love my healthcare system. I know literally no-one in this country who wants it privatised. No-one. We trust them better if they are not making a profit from what they are doing. You pay them whether they have seen no patients or twenty patients and there's no incentive to push products and treatments on people, have them pay more and so forth. I recently was given a clean bill of health from my dentist (yesterday); were there not the NHS, I could not have even gone.

 

[Spirit of Light]

In Norway we have healthcare for all, and we only need to pay a fee each time, until we can obtain a free card that make it fully free for the rest of the year.
I think it is a good system

 

[sun rise]

Don't forget the mixed systems like Switzerland which has private health insurance but also universal basic coverage. It's not either/or in some cases.

 

[Yerda]

No, definitely not. The NHS isn't perfect but it's better for the average person, like me. I can get treatment for whatever ails me without worrying about insurance and huge treatment costs. Unless I opt for private, which I can do.

 

[ChristineM]

In the UK, the NHS was wonderful, unfortunately recent governments have been running it down and selling off the good/profitable bits to private healthcare providers who happen to be owned by individuals from those governments or their friends. Despite the chronic shortage of funding and increasing waiting times the NHS is still a model for the rest of the world.

In france is a different system but is still a universal healthcare system. For the last couple of years we have had considerable reason to be grateful for the speed and efficiency of french system.

Given the NHS is free at the point of use (payment is made by an additional tax levied throughout the working life) and the fixed charges of the french system (which are reimbursed) healthcare for all is affordable.

And that is the key, affordable to anyone and everyone. There is no need for someone in poverty (for whatever reason) to suffer until they are so ill that a free hospital may decide to treat them.

 

[Shad]

Neither. I prefer a mixed system. I only have socialized here with a lot of funding issues.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Some universal systems like in Canada omits Dental Care entirely.

 

[Rival]

Some universal systems like in Canada omits Dental Care entirely.

I lately found this out and was dumbstruck.

 

[sooda]

Many in the U.S. argue against universal healthcare and how terrible it is, yet I never heard anyone from outside the states voice their disdain for it nor how they held an envious desire for U.S. style healthcare. Someone claimed that this was because you're too oppressed to know better. So what's the case?

Americans are smart.. We can come up with a universal healthcare system that works if we have the will to do so.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I lately found this out and was dumbstruck.

Me too. I first learned of it when I was up in Toronto.

It seems some employers however do provide dental coverage but those that do not have it will either have to pony up the money, or just settle for pain relievers.

 

[sooda]

Neither. I prefer a mixed system. I only have socialized here with a lot of funding issues.

You mean the government owns the clinics and hospitals and employs doctors and staff?

 

[ChristineM]

I lately found this out and was dumbstruck.

Finding a NHS dentist in the UK is close on impossible, the few there are are so busy that waiting time is months, assuming they have a slot to fit you into their patient list.

 

[Rival]

Finding a NHS dentist in the UK is close on impossible, the few there are are so busy that waiting time is months, assuming they have a slot to fit you into their patient list.

This is true. It's a disaster and should be sorted.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I lately found this out and was dumbstruck.

Do you really need your teeth?

 

[Jumi]

My country has both. If I don't have money, I don't need to sell the car and house if I get a medical emergency, lol. But if I have lots of money I can go to some expensive doctor. Even if I'm not sick, having all kinds of poor and desperate people on the street without healthcare is not what I want.

 

[ChristineM]

This is true. It's a disaster and should be sorted.

It is, i am a great believer in the NHS, before leaving the UK i had 2 dentist cop out and go private so left them to find another NHS dentist. Getting more and more difficult.

A friend has just moved to Poulton (near blackpool) the only available NHS dentist has a 2 year waiting list.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I love my healthcare system. I know literally no-one in this country who wants it privatised. No-one. We trust them better if they are not making a profit from what they are doing. You pay them whether they have seen no patients or twenty patients and there's no incentive to push products and treatments on people, have them pay more and so forth. I recently was given a clean bill of health from my dentist (yesterday); were there not the NHS, I could not have even gone.

That sounds way more appealing as a clinician. We shouldn't have goals that revolve around how many hours we bill for. That doesn't even revolve around quality of care as a goal. But, when it's your only performance measurement and standard, you start to have to include doing some pointless crap that really isn't necessary if you fall short. It's really no issue of mine, or any clinician, if things are going well for a client and a case manager doesn't really need to spend much time with them. But it's waste time with them or spend so much time with a few clients that your sessions become more like a broken record.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

My country has both. If I don't have money, I don't need to sell the car and house if I get a medical emergency, lol. But if I have lots of money I can go to some expensive doctor. Even if I'm not sick, having all kinds of poor and desperate people on the street without healthcare is not what I want.

Yup. I used to work with a guy who robbed a bank to help cover the cost of his mother's health treatment. It was very sad to, because it was very much an act of desperation and not something he would have normally done if that tremendous pressure hadn't been introduced.

 

[Jumi]

Some universal systems like in Canada omits Dental Care entirely.

How much for regular procedures? Here I can get some basic work done for say <50 euros in public dental care and the same thing can cost 60-200 on private. Private can also be worse quality in dental... lots of them seem to try to get you into more expensive operations just to make more money (surprising, right? they're doing it for profit) which can lead to unnecessary operations. Public side at least has their ethics right.