Least bad private Health System ?!?

No, I didn’t see it jura2

You often educate me. And others I expect.
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That said it’s good the video didn’t influence the way I voted!

Independent bodies such as the Kings Fund always rate the NHS as one of the cheapest, and most efficient systems, considering fewer beds and staff, compared to other developed countries. Of course there is a discussion to be had about what new and expensive treatments should be available on a state funded system, but no government has been bold enough to tackle this. Planning is very short term and lasts from one election to another. Either we continue to have a state funded system and pay more through taxes, or pay much more through private insurance, which makes a profit for its shareholders.

But no one on this thread Jura. That is just baiting people.

Dinahmo- checked the French system and you are right, top ups are not dependent on previous history and pre-exisiting conditions. That is brilliant, and so cheap too. Here in Switzerland basic insurance is about £450 per month per person, and top ups can cost a LOT more- and you still have to pay the initial threshold you have chosen, and 10% of everything up to 1000francs per year.

kitty- and I forgot, a section of the Press. Just seen a compilation of the Sun, DN, DE front pages - again and again demonising immigrants and make them responsible for lack of GP appointments, hospital beds, school places, etc, etc, etc.

Urmstongran- do you remember that Vote Leave Video - about an 'old' lady with a cold taken to Casualty (what a terrible example in the first place) ... with 2 scenarios- 1) a waiting room full of brown faces and a bad brown nurse - and 2) a miracle of white staff and an instant cure and return home in great health after a couple of hours? The narrative certainly did wind me up- as it was blatantly and openly racist, and so so wrong.

Redtop and others who live overseas - I think we are agreed that health care systems in many countries other than the UK cost quite a lot of money funded by private insurance and even a basic level of care has to be paid for somehow.

It's obvious that travel insurance will cost more for older people or anyone with a medical condition surely?

It is the same as someone having to pay a higher house insurance premium if they live in an area likely to flood.

Stop trying to wind this up jura2 to fit your narrative.

You are so transparent now.
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kitty- many Leavers, and many in the Leave campaign. Like that dreadful campaign video for Vote Leave, with a 'mature' Lady who has a cold and is taken to Casualty ... remember that one, it was a really disgusting piece of racist campaigning. So many saying our NHS is over stretched by having to look after all those foreigners, etc. The DM too, constantly.

I am glad you are all so positive about the mighty God NHS. My experience has been quite different. It is not fit for purpose.

I wont start with my aunt , when they couldn't even find me and gave my aunts house keys and death certificate to a stranger and despite my name being down as next of kin, no one informed me she was ill or in hospital - and she was there for over a month.

Other than that I have watched them kill my father despite attempts to stop it ( trying to get a transfer to private care even when you have money is difficult it seems unless you are HRH.), it maimed my mother and most recently failed to work for my husband. All have had conditions that were treatable had they NHS been fit for purpose.

I just hope I don't need it any time soon.

I might have missed it, jura, but who mentioned immigrants being the cause of anything?

It is not the immigrants causing a shortage of GPs and surgeons, or nurses - au contraire. It is the massive failure of Government to plan for and fund training.

Compared to most EU countries, and even some 3rd world countries, the UK spends a very small % of GDP on health service.

Good post, gg, it's a point I am fed up making to people who bemoan out NHS.

It needs a radical rethink but no politician is brave enough to say so and then follow through despite the derision eg Teresa May's so called 'Dementia Tax'.

In the Netherlands healthcare is free to those earning below a certain salary. Above that you have to have medical insurance and your company usually pays half. Everyone gets the same treatment by the same doctors. So in other words you pay what you can afford. Their healthcare is second to none and although I think our NHS is good I have had reason to question it recently. It is stretched to capacity.

Andrew Marr didn't even challenge him on that WWM2 its to be expected I suppose ,the good old BBC takes the governmnet line ..again and again..

PamelaJl - all well and good if you are young and healthy. Have you looked at premiums for holiday or private (Bupa/Spire, etc) if you are born with a disability or illness, if you acquire one through no fault of your own, if you have an accident that means you will require operations and support for the rest of your life, and if you just happen to be over 70?

Private Health Insurance works as long as you are young and/or healthy. Insurances are businesses- and will only take you on if the odds are vastly in their favour.

that was clear from the start, surely. Same with meat and produce imports that would not previously be importable as not safe ...

There are going to be some massive backhanders and lots of different forms ...

I see the US Ambassador is expecting our NHS to be up for grabs post Brexit

The insurance premium tax probably goes into the general pot, Pamela - like vehicle licensing, very little of which is actually spent on the roads!

GrannyGravy you make some valid points re the NHS - the demands on the service now are so different and enormous compared to those at its inception.

When we buy a car we have to insure it, if we go on holiday we have to insure ourselves and we pay extra if we are going to certain countries or are going to take part in risky pursuits.
Can’t we add a little to a lot of things that perhaps may end up with us needing to use the NHS and dedicate that to the service. Perhaps increase the vat on certain products? (I can hear the groans!)
I know we now pay an insurance tax on top of our premiums but does anyone know where that goes?

Jura2 - I don't recall the insurers here asking for details about our health. The top is voluntary and I did think of not bothering until a friend told me that if you have a life threatening illness the treatment is free but you have to pay for all the tests that you have before arriving at a diagnosis. we moved to France when we were 62 and we have felt like health tourists ever since. My DH, who previously was the healthy one, has had various problems which have been dealt with quickly and efficiently. Our top up costs 170ish euros for the two of us each month. The price depends upon a number of things - whether one has dentistry,opticians, a single room if hospitalized etc etc.

When the NHS was formed it was a different “animal”!!!

Now there are cures for most ills and they are expensive.

There is no one way to sort out different health authorities problems. Some pay 50p for an item others pay £1.50 or £2.00.

We are a country of 60+million, with differing needs and different abilities to pay.

We personally have always managed to have private health insurance and as we have aged and claimed it has increased. I feel fortunate to have this, and realise that it also helps the NHS as we are not dependent on it.

If we want to see a continuation of the NHS it has to be radically reformed and those who can pay should pay!!

This would insure that those in need would always be able to access free healthcare at point of need.

Well in that case jura2 it is fortunate you can raid the piggy bank for that choice.
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And, as you know, jura, Dh did similarly, working until he was 71 on the NHS.

In Australia you have Medicare state system, but it doesn’t cover everything so not 100% for example some doctors (GP’s) bulk bill they accept the government set benefit payment, you have to pay a gap, but if you are unlucky and the doctor doesn’t bulk bill, you can pay up 50 dollars per appointment (approx £25). Consultants obviously charge more and it can run into 100’s dollars.

Private medical Insurance has differ levels of cover say bronze, silver, gold and diamond, the higher level of cover the smaller the gap you pay, so for example on gold insurance would pay 70% and you would be charged for the remaining 30% plus of course your annual insurance fee. So similar to some insurance cover in the UK now.

Different Australian states had different charges, and regulations and also different insurance payments, I found it a minefield. You also had to have ambulance cover, otherwise you were up for a bill of approx 300 dollars.

No free prescriptions, if you had a state pension or similar you paid a set rate per prescription item, something like £4.00 a lot of people couldn’t afford it them and didn’t both, much like the US.

When you reached hospital the first thing they would ask for was your private insurance card so that they could see your level of cover.

Personally I didn’t ever feel comfortable with it, I always felt they wanted to empty the piggy bank! Give me the NHS any day!