Rip off Britain?

Question

Michael Moore knows how to do his customary slag on the subject of his own country (it makes lots of bucks), and we Brits know how to puff up our chests and remark how first-rate the ‘NHS’ system is. But, with oil at three times the price over here than the USA; clothes, books and DVD’S which are at least twice as much in Britain than the USA, property is a fraction of the price in the USA and we in Britain being taxed for just about the whole lot that moves and breaths; is our system of health care such a great deal compared to the more affluent Americans?

Thanks for all the contributions, I've enjoyed reading them. In particular thanks to “colder in Minnesota” who has specified something to reflect on.

Answer 1

You are right it is rip off Britain as far as prices are concerned. The NHS is a disaster and if people had to pay private insurance then they could go to which hospital they considered the best. The bad ones would soon close through lack of business and bad Doctors would have no patients. We pay for our animal care at the vets, so why not our own health care. Some European Countries give you a refund if you don't use the health service that year. The Government pour billions of pounds of our taxes in to the NHS and for what?. Filthy hospitals and fat cat management as far as I can see.

Answer 2

I work in the financial affairs office of a major university hospital here in the US. We are not a charity hospital, although we are a not-for-profit. We never turn anyone away if their care is urgent or emergent, but if it is something that can be delayed, we do postpone them until their accounts can become financially secure. We're not talking cosmetic surgeries here necessarily. We're talking diagnostic CTs, MRIs, endoscopies, etc. Sometimes those patients do qualify for medical assistance. Frequently they work full-time at companies that don't provide health benefits, thus, they make too much money to qualify for medical assistance and not enough to pay their bills. Maybe the NHS isn't such a wonderful institution, but at least it's an attempt to address a very serious problem, one that we here in the US are leaving up to the private sector to resolve. Of course, the private sector has had a couple centuries to resolve it, and it hasn't yet. And while you may be taxed more, it may be offset by the fact that you get more from the government than we do here. I dunno. The answers are not simple.

Answer 3

The truth always hurts, that is why the right wing element of American society detests Michael Moore.
Don't be fooled by the propaganda coming from the U S A with leaders such as Reagan, Clinton and Bush x 2 who have destabilised the world with their selfish greed aided of course by Thatcher, Major and Blair and the new wine in an old bottle Brown.
You are however right to question why it is that 47% of our income is taken by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and we know not where it goes.

Answer 4

Well it certainly doesn't do you any good to have the pound worth twice as much as the dollar if the pound only buys as much as the dollar.

Somebody's making a lot of money here and I hope you find out who it is.

Answer 5

i owe my life to the nhs, but apart from that we do live in rip off Britain

Answer 6

why do you slag off michael moore, hes trying to educate half you americans....in the best way you understand through television! i say half because half you voted for dumb *** bush!

Answer 7

Moore is an idiot and we want to sell him to any country cheap!

Answer 8

YEs

Answer 9

yeah it is great deal.

Answer 10

don't you mean R. I. P. Britain we are all screwed.