...talking about National Healthcare...!

[Sprint_girl07]

Yes lots of preventive care. It was down to each individual though of course if they bothered to make the appointment.

Children, everything is free, regardless. No need to worry whether you are insured or have enough money to have your kid treated for something. They promote anyway they can to have your child taken regularly to dentist, optician and so on and even the schools get involved if they suspect something wrong and let parents know (like squinting at whiteboard or something).

Maternity is part of it too. You get regular check ups, blood tests, you name it. It is about preventing something going wrong or allowing the mother to be healthy throughout.
Then once baby is born, you get a lot of aftercare and can even have visits at the home to check on baby for a while.

So many here who can't afford it or don't have coverage suffer or end up having problems because of no preventive or aftercare. Just my opinion.

[Brit4064]

Don't overlook improving the average Americans' diet too. Especially removing or at least reducing junk food in schools. Will save lots of $$$ down the line later.

[ProudUSC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brit4064:
Don't overlook improving the average Americans' diet too. Especially removing or at least reducing junk food in schools. Will save lots of $$$ down the line later. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I totally agree with this. You have some control on what your kids eat at home and can teach good eating habits, but when the schools dangle the junk food in front of their faces, what are they going to choose? Stuff they can't get at home - lol! I always told mine they were clogging their arteries, but that means nothing to kids who think they are indestructible.

[Brit4064]

More views on the real NHS in UK:

This American’s Experience of Britain’s Healthcare System

As the healthcare debate picks up pace, I find myself being asked with increasing regularity what I think of Britain’s healthcare system. Six months ago, I’d have jumped into the answer with gusto, but these days… I don’t know, I am just so fatigued by all the fear-mongering and hysteria, the ignorance and the downright idiocy of the current debate that I can hardly summon the energy to add my voice to the cacophony.

But the other night when a friend of my mother’s emailed me and asked that now-familiar question — what was my experience and what did I think of British health care? — and I was surprised to discover that, once the initial weariness had worn off, I found myself turning her question over and over in my mind, composing my answer. When I sat down last night and started my reply, the words fell out me, my fingers tapping rapidly at the keyboard and my mind so engrossed in the assignment that I was stunned when I finally looked at the clock: it was 2.30 in the morning. I had been so consumed because what I had to say had been bursting to come out, an outraged truth that was tired of being bottled-up and was begging to be told.

potentialandexpectations.wordpress.com

[Brit4064]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">To take years in court and millions in litigation costs to require two nurses instead of one is beyond ridiculous. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Really? Try doing this at 4am. Personally I'm glad there were 2 of them checking each other. You could say the same for pilots. Why have 2 in the cockpit when one could do it?

It's called safety. Yes it might well have been born from past litigation but would you really like just one nurse giving you a blood transfusion at 4am?

Yes a second test would have been a good idea before doing any procedures but they didn't. Who knows why not? I suspect the extra cost might well be a factor as most routine lab tests are done off-site by 3rd party labs these days.

[Kollerkrot]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brit4064:
Don't overlook improving the average Americans' diet too. Especially removing or at least reducing junk food in schools. Will save lots of $$$ down the line later. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Preventive care goes deeper yet. I agree with the school food issue. However, food to many Americans is a drug (an addictive drug - with tons of reasons establishing it as such), counseling would be a first aid preventive care for individuals. However, being that it is of epidemic proporation, the government, i.e., the surgeon general would have to get behind the food industry limiting/stopping advertising. How many times can weak people stand to see gravy dripping over mash potatos in one single night without getting hungry? Stress and tension is also an underlying issue that causes diabetes, which we know is of epidemic proportions in this country. Preventive care, is way better than care after the fact. A well-structured NHS can do so much in this regard.

We rallied for change!!

[federale86]

California has removed all junk food from schools and nothing has happened. Typical liberals want to legalize marijuana and cocaine, but outlaw junk food.

Nuts. But typical of Brit.

Also, preventative care is not cost effective because you give preventative care to those who will not eventually get the disease you are trying to prevent. Hence no cost savings. Preventative care only works if you only give it to those who will get the disease. Not those who won't.

[federale86]

More Brits killed by NHS.

[Brit4064]

Davdah, most insurance policies now have upper limits each year usually like $1 million. Once you reach that, you pay the whole lot, that's if it's not cut off before then.

All you need is a long term illness or disease like cancer and you can exceed that limit in a year easily.

[ProudUSC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brit4064:
Davdah, most insurance policies now have upper limits each year usually like $1 million. Once you reach that, you pay the whole lot, that's if it's not cut off before then.

All you need is a long term illness or disease like cancer and you can exceed that limit in a year easily. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brittie, I agree we need health care reform in this country, but Obama's plan is too drastic. Scares the c.rap out of most USCs ( you being one . Look at the protests at every town hall meeting he has. He needs to address this on a much smaller scale and do baby steps for the American public to accept.

[Hudson]

The argument is coverage vs cost.

Of the five proposals out there currently, none control costs, just talk about coverage. In the U.S., we need to do both.

There are parts I like about the Obama plan, but it does not control costs either for private or government future health expenditures. A Fat tax maybe?

[Brit4064]

I don't see why people should be so scared about it. I lived in UK for more than 30 yrs and I wasn't scared about the NHS. It was a way of life, knowing that if anything happened to me regardless of ability to pay, it would be there. A nice feeling unlike here where if I loose my job, I loose healthcare too. Is that really how people want to feel here? I just don't get it

[Kollerkrot]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brit4064:
I don't see why people should be so scared about it. I lived in UK for more than 30 yrs and I wasn't scared about the NHS. It was a way of life, knowing that if anything happened to me regardless of ability to pay, it would be there. A nice feeling unlike here where if I loose my job, I loose healthcare too. Is that really how people want to feel here? I just don't get it </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

...and you have to see that it is not only if you loose your job. You can actually have a job and your employer doesn't offer healthcare.

But I don't understand the fear neither! That is something I have never understood about America. But perhaps if you have to go down to the individuals, you see they don't know any better. They, from childhood on, pledge allegiance to the flag/government of the US, but are afraid of it at the same time. I don't get it!

I also have lived under a NHS until I came here, it gave me a sense of that I am not only here to support my government, but my government is also here to support me.

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brit4064:
I don't see why people should be so scared about it. I lived in UK for more than 30 yrs and I wasn't scared about the NHS. It was a way of life, knowing that if anything happened to me regardless of ability to pay, it would be there. A nice feeling unlike here where if I loose my job, I loose healthcare too. Is that really how people want to feel here? I just don't get it </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Brit,
Do you think most Brits would be scared if the UK government says, We will give everybody a gun. You choose which gun you want?

The reason for this scenario helps explain why Americans are afraid of change. This argument has been going on for more than three decades. When Medicare was first proposed, the same argument appeared. Medicare has had a growth rate of 10% for the past three decades and is why we have huge deficits in our non discretionary budget.

Reform is needed, but not controlling costs is not the answer.

[Hudson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Kollerkrot:
..and you have to see that it is not only if you loose your job. You can actually have a job and your employer doesn't offer healthcare.

But I don't understand the fear neither! That is something I have never understood about America. But perhaps if you have to go down to the individuals, you see they don't know any better. They, from childhood on, pledge allegiance to the flag/government of the US, but are afraid of it at the same time. I don't get it!

I also have lived under a NHS until I came here, it gave me a sense of that I am not only here to support my government, but my government is also here to support me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
basically, it is part of our history. We had our leson prior to the Revolutionary War with the Stamp Tax and the Tea tax, among others. And socialism has not exactly worked in the U.s. Take a look at the VA or the administration of Native Americans in their reservations. That should tell you something.