Posted by Quintal on May 3, 2008, at 11:21:05
In reply to Re: Angry at pdoc, posted by bulldog2 on May 3, 2008, at 10:12:59
I can see why there would be resistance to starting a national health program in the US in this day and age, for various reasons. I suppose things were different back in the forties when the NHS was introduced. I don't think the quality of medicine would decline because people who can afford private health care or insurance could still buy it if they wanted to, as they can in the UK, but people who can't would still receive adequate health care. There are private health insurance systems such as BUPA here, and they have their own exclusive hospitals, but for ordinary people they're just not worth it. It's more of a status symbol than a neccesity. I think even the Queen had her knee done on the NHS a few years ago.
The main problem with the NHS is the waiting lists, not the quality of the medicine when you finally get to see the doctor. It isn't as efficient as it could be. That said, in my area the waiting lists aren't too bad - I've always got GP appointments within a few days to a week. Psychology services are the worst, taking up to a year or more to see a CBT specalist, which is obviously useless.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:826956
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080430/msgs/826990.html