TL/DR –
The author, Susan Stewart, lived in the UK for 10 years and used the National Health Service (NHS). She appreciated the free healthcare, the absence of risk of going bankrupt due to medical costs, the quality of care she personally received, and the ability to choose a medical facility as a primary care provider. However, she experienced difficulties with getting primary care appointments, long waits for elective surgeries, potential healthcare provider strikes due to low pay, and limited accessibility to dental care.
Comparing the UK and US Healthcare Systems
Having lived and worked in England for a decade, I’ve experienced the National Health Service (NHS) – a government agency that covers virtually all health-related costs. The NHS is primarily funded by general taxation and supplemented by employee contributions.
This article will delve into the advantages and challenges faced in the English healthcare system based on my personal experiences, without deep investigative reporting involved. Here are some aspects of the U.K.’s healthcare system that worked in my favor:
- Universal healthcare: Unlike my time in America where I lacked health insurance due to self-employment, the U.K. provides “free” healthcare to citizens, legal immigrants, and certain refugees.
- No medical bankruptcy: In the U.K., medical expenses don’t bankrupt individuals since there are no co-pays or co-insurance percentages.
- Quality of care: Personally, the quality of care received for my four surgeries was excellent.
- Choice of primary care providers: My primary care provider opened at 8 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, enabling me to see my doctor and still arrive at work by 9 a.m.
On the other hand, the U.K.’s socialized healthcare system also poses challenges:
- Difficult appointment scheduling: Securing same-day appointments or even making contact with the facility can be difficult. Emergencies could lead to long waiting periods at Accident & Emergency (A&E), similar to American ERs.
- Long waiting times for elective surgeries: Due to the backlog, procedures for the knees, hips, and heart can have waiting times up to a year or longer.
- Threat of healthcare provider strikes: Low remuneration often leads to healthcare providers threatening to go on strike, with nurses earning significantly less than their American counterparts.
- Inaccessibility of dental care: Dentists offer a small percentage of their business for NHS payment, which can result in long waiting lists and out-of-pocket payments for most dental care.
Despite the drawbacks, my view of the NHS remains positive, particularly when comparing the high costs of American healthcare – co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles. This might change when I become eligible for Medicare while still working full time, so stay tuned.
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