The Rude Pundit: An American in the UK National Health Service

[babylonsister]

http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2017/09/an-american-in-uk-national-health.html

The Rude Pundit
Proudly lowering the level of political discourse
9/14/2017
An American in the UK National Health Service


It had been a stressful few weeks, with far more than the usual amount of fuckery and frantic frenzy, and I arrived in Liverpool last Friday on a total of about 4 hours of sleep in two days. Walking around the Liverpool One area shortly after dropping off my bags, heading towards the Tesco to get some supplies, I realized that I was sweating like Nicholas Cage on a meth bender and my heart was racing like, well, the same. I felt a tightness in my chest, short of breath, needing to sit down, and I thought, "Well, fuck, this would fuck up the next week or so." When your Dad dies of a heart attack at 46, you take that shit seriously.

snip//

I've sped up the last part here, but, from walking into the clinic to leaving the ER of the hospital, it was a total of four hours. And there was not a single person I met who seemed angry or beleaguered or disgusted by the system they worked in. Every one of them was simply devoted to making sure I was ok. No profit motive. No forms to fill out. No card to check. No in-network or out-of-network. No phone calls to beg for approval. I didn't pay a dime. That's how you treat a guest.

I was blown away. Obviously, I know it can't always work so smoothly and efficiently (and that there are rocky times ahead for the NHS), but, holy shit, there was something so sane and humane about the entire process that I felt a revulsion towards what we're put through in the United States just to try to not die, the degradation of putting a price tag on our health.

If we actually lived up to the ideals that we supposedly have as Americans, we'd look out for each other by making sure that no one has to have one's worth measured against what one can afford.

Fucking pass single-payer. Or stop fucking pretending that we're a society and just admit that the USA is a Darwinian dystopia.

[TheBlackAdder]

1. My daughter used the NHS several times when in London for her Masters. Clean, friendly, fast, cheap.

[NeoGreen]

23. My daughter just left today...

...for London to start her Masters.
Your simple note makes me feel a bit less worried.

Thanks
NG

[TheBlackAdder]

24. Regardless of the several terrorist incidents, my daughter felt safer walking day/night than the US.

Police are everywhere and quite visible, and she says that when you go up to them, they ask, How may I help you!"

Of the several visits, her only cost was to pay for medicine twice, one for 5 pounds and one for 10 pounds.

[Delphinus]

2. Seems

like what a healthcare experience should be. No profits on people's health.

[smirkymonkey]

3. K&R

The way it should be. Why do we settle for shit?

[Leith]

4. Wow. Just Wow...

That's what we deserve here.

[jpak]

5. That was my experience in Canada

And their communist terror health care system which we are told is the suckiest.

[Duppers]

6. In 1989 a physician drove to our flat!

When my hubs was an "overseas fellow/ visiting scholar" at Churchill College, Cambridge U., my 18mo son became very sick (fever, kept nothing in his stomach). We did not have a car. I called health services and explained his condition. Within 30 minutes a doctor was at my door! She then drove us (drove us in her own car!!) to Addenbrooke's Hospital. We spent the night and my son recovered. We were not charged for anything!! I was most amazed at all the caring people in that hospital. I heartedly second Rude's statement: "there was not a single person I met who seemed angry or beleaguered or disgusted by the system they worked in."

I did have a short form to fill in and sign which took less than a minute.

[mgardener]

7. My daughter went to college in Canada , 12 years ago.

500.00 for full calender year, all the health care Dr. Visits and medication she needed.
We live near the Canadian border and lots of people go over the border for dental care and medication.
It is a crime that the heath care in this country is so expensive.

[Duppers]

8. Huge K & R

[Rob H.]

9. K&R! nt

[LittleGirl]

10. They really are afraid that the UK will adopt

our fucking nightmare healthcare system. Hubby is British and I have several British friends. They love their healthcare system even if it's not perfect.

Along with #45, they just can't understand our ways.

[Scarsdale]

21. Liverpool is my place of birth.

I used the NHS and my extended family LOVES the NHS, escecially after hearing the stories about the US "system" EVERYONE in this country should be clamoring for a similar system. If France, Canada, Germany, Holland and even Cuba can do it, so can this country. The greedy politicians are all that stands in the way of passing a decent healthcare system.

[LittleGirl]

22. My husband

was furious when I explained the shit we put up with.

[LostOne4Ever]

11. K & R nt

[WoonTars]

12. Kick.

...

[TomSlick]

13. Similar report.

Some years ago, I traveled to Dublin carrying my wife's luggage when she was on a business trip. Half way across the Atlantic, it occurred to me that I had left a prescription at home.

As soon as we were checked into the hotel, I found a chemist to try to figure out if my doctor back in home could e-mail/fax my script and get it filed. The chemist suggested I go to the clinic next door and see if they could help.

I was skeptical but desperate. I went to the clinic - told the receptionist my problem and took a seat. One whole lot quicker than I would have seen my doctor at home, I was explaining my problem to the doctor. I told the doctor that I needed an anti-rejection drug for a recent cornea transplant. I knew the name of the drug and he could look in my eye and tell there had been a transplant. I walked out with an Irish script the local chemist could accept. The doctor's visit cost nothing - no fuss no muss.

Medicare for all would be OK but only as a bridge to a National Health system.

[BannonsLiver]

14. We've all been lied to for eons about this issue

In talking with Canadians and Brits over the years I've never met a one of them that would want our system. A Canadian Air Force officer I met years ago called our system barbaric, and that was AFTER the ACA passed.

[KelleyKramer]

15. We should demand to have national health care!

[riderinthestorm]

16. K&fuckingR. This Irish citizen is PISSED at this bickering. #saveACA #Medicareforall

Walk and chew gum at the same time.

So over this shit.

[IronLionZion]

17. Europe had a very different WW2 experience than the US

which made many of them understand the need for universal healthcare to take care of their many wounded who were unable to pay while Americans were told to be suspicious of socialists.

NHS is not single payer. It's far more socialist than what Bernie and Conyers are proposing for us.

[Scurrilous]

18. K&R

[Lordquinton]

19. Long past time

[dembotoz]

20. Happy u r ok