Why cant people get over the fact that the national health service and dental treatment should be free?

Question

Isnt that partlywhat makes our country great, that a pensioner who has no money can still recieve health care or a single mother can take her child when they fall ill?

when i say our country, i mean England

when i say our country, i mean Britain

Answer 1

Yes, but it's not exactly free we do pay for it.

Answer 2

To be honest, it shouldn't be free for everyone, because there are people who use the NHS, but who could afford not to, and that puts too much strain on the service.

Before I get flamed for saying that, let me try to explain what i mean.

Well, the first thing is, the NHS is only defined as being Free at the Point of Use, so when you visit a GP or go to hospital, you don't have to pay out there and then, but we do pay for it through our NI contributions and governent subisdy (taken from othe governement revenue, such as income tax or VAT) so it's not actually free in the true sense.

The system, like any other insurance, it works on the principle that everyone pays but not everyone needs to use the service, so ultimately things even out. When the NHS was set up, this worked pretty well. There were limited types of drugs available for limited illnesses and a fairly limited understanding of diseases such as mental health or cancer. Consequently the amount of money being spent in the NHS wasn't too far off the amount being raked in by NI contributions.

The trouble now though is that in the last 40 years there's been massive improvements in diagnosis of illness, increases in the cost of the drugs to treat illnesses (thanks to the pharma industry) and an aging population (who don't just need more treatment, but who aren't paying NI). You've also got to bare in mind that the NHS is the single biggest employer in Europe, and a large amount of it's infrastructure is in need of an overhaul. The money just isn't there to do this.

Adding to these problems are the media, who were very quick to slam the NHS for not making drugs like Herceptin freely available. Herceptin won't save a life, it prolongs a life, and it's not cheap (£2000+ i think?). Now I'm not saying that £2000 for an extra 6 months of life isn't worth it, but it's a judgement call that someone has to make with the limited funds available. That's until the media get hold of it, and the funds have to be found, and then the same papers slam the NHS for going over-budget.

So I guess what I'm saying is, that the NHS just isn't something we can afford to run in the same way we did in the 1950's, but the principle of having a 'free at the point of use' health service is something that we've come to expect and would be too unwilling to give up on.

I agree there should be some kind of fail-safe health service for those that need it, but who should fund it (would it be fair on people who do have private medical cover to still pay a full NI contribution?) and would that lead to a two tier standard, where the less affluent recieve worse healthcare (which is argueably the case anyway).

Just realised i've written too much and if anyone's still reading this, i'd be suprised! :-)

Answer 3

This post is in direct response to some of the posts here.

Why should everyone contribute to the NHS? Why not just get private health and opt out? Why pay for other peoples health care?

You may have private health insurance, but you never ever opted out of the NHS no matter how much you protest. When you get run over by a car someone calls 999 (a service paid by all our taxes), and are taken by NHS ambulance to an NHS hospital, for treatment by NHS staff.

No one will ever stop to think, "hmm should I call BUPA or 999?". The ambulance isn't going to put a meter on and transport you like a taxi. The hospital staff aren't going to give you an invoice for treatment.

Well, other things you can't opt out of are paying for other peoples kids to be educated, roads for other people to drive on, other peoples bins collected, to have council houses built for other people to live in, the army, police, and other essential services.

The idea is that we all live in and contribute to a society that benefits us ALL. Not just me, not just you, but everyone. This is not, as some would have you believe, a communist ideal or unlikely utopia. It is the fundamental premise by which all societies have worked.

The NHS - it's undervalued, underfunded, understaffed, badly managed, and is used as a political football. It's not brilliant, but we're ALL better off with it than without it.

Answer 4

They just examine other countries that already have national health care and see how bad their health care systems work. As you can imagine they are far worst than ours.

Also how in the world would we pay for it? We are already running 880 million dollars in overspending per year, not counting hand outs like medicare and social security. Then its more like 3.5 trillion.

We are 8 trillion in debt so far.

I say don't give government any more money they don't know what to do with it but line their pockets.

Wait they already have all the money. They took us off the gold standard years ago. All we have is this worthless paper. Even our coins are not real.

Answer 5

The only people who object to a national health care at no cost are people who have never had to re-mortgage their home or lose their house due to an illness or injury. When your whole belief system revolves around the dollar, the people who need help the most are the ones hurt the most when an emergency arises. Any Nation is only as strong as the weakest person and I am proud that we take take of those that need it most, not penalize them for their economic shortfall.

Answer 6

I think it should be free.There would have to be a real clear outline for the Dr. to follow. I know that some of them have really scammed the government.If other people choose to receive private care than they should pay for it themselves. If we had a better way to receive health care it would actually save a lot of money. If people can be seen when they need a Dr. more would be back to work sooner or they wouldn't get as sick and require hospitalization. Which as you know costs a lot more than a dr. visit. people should not have to choose between perscriptions and feeding their children. I'm sure some people would say if they can't afford it than they shouldn't have kids. All I can say to that is I'm in my 40's and life has not always worked out the way I planed.

Answer 7

Right wingers believe that people should suffer toothache if they can't pay. Stuff 'em. They'd probably like to bring back the workhouses too.
I think what they have a really hard time accepting is that this country (the UK, this is UK Answers) has never voted for an extreme right wing government. Hurrah, etc.

It is free at the point of delivery, thats the point. Nobody is stupid enough to imagine it doesn't cost anything.

Answer 8

No, then you end up with a greater separation of classes where the rich can afford to pay for cutting edge medice apart from the system and the rest of us get the substandard leftovers.

Why can't people realize that there already is a national health service...it's called County Health, Medi CAL, medicare, VA hospital, etc.

There is NOWHERE in the US that a person can be refused necessary medical care!

Answer 9

It is a good and moral thing to assist those in times of need. However, such things are not free, the money to pay doctors, hospitals, for medicines, supplies etc has to come from somewhere. If these things are to continue to be made available to the needy then better management HAS to be implemented.

Answer 10

They can it's called Medicaid or Medicare. It's the middle class working stiff that can't afford health care because of the rising insurance premiums that suffers. I pay 400.00 dollars a month to insure my family. I don't want to socialized medicine, too many people die in VA and military run hospitals for me to buy into that. I want the best and don't mind paying for it.

Answer 11

there are programs for the elderly and for the poverty stricken in need. this in no way means that everyone should have free health care. i never want the federal gov. so involved that they decide when my appointments are, where they are, or who the doctors are. that is what i work hard for. try going to Canada and waiting a year for a heart surgery you need and can get in America tomorrow.