We have the option to go private too. My brother had his NHS appointment delayed due to doctors’ strikes so he went private and got his operation done very quickly.
Because he had insurance already it only cost him about £150.
Here in the States, the only non-private option is through the Veterans’ Administration, which requires that one be a veteran or their direct family. It’s also intentionally bad, overly bureaucratic, and extremely inconvenient (had to drive 40min outside of the state capital to get my then-housemate to a veterans’ hospital once because he, a disabled veteran, couldn’t afford care anywhere else), embodying the right-wing hatred of actually compensating veterans. In fact, right-wing administrations have been caught instructing officials to attempt to avoid providing veterans with their contractually-entitled care and benefits.
Those of us who are not veterans are stuck with the private US system when terrible wait times.
Always a fun time when you have to beg the ambulance crew to drive you to the VA instead of the closest hospital because it’s the only way the VA will cover your ambulance ride. Despite Congress telling them they need to pay for them three times. They even passed a law and the VA immediately ignored it.
Then God help you if they decide your emergency wasn’t actually an emergency. Because on top of all the other problems, a surprise medical bill was just what you needed.
We have the option to go private too. My brother had his NHS appointment delayed due to doctors’ strikes so he went private and got his operation done very quickly.
Because he had insurance already it only cost him about £150.
Also, having the NHS as a direct competitor drives down the price, much like social housing did to house prices.
Its why certain types hate those two things.
Here in the States, the only non-private option is through the Veterans’ Administration, which requires that one be a veteran or their direct family. It’s also intentionally bad, overly bureaucratic, and extremely inconvenient (had to drive 40min outside of the state capital to get my then-housemate to a veterans’ hospital once because he, a disabled veteran, couldn’t afford care anywhere else), embodying the right-wing hatred of actually compensating veterans. In fact, right-wing administrations have been caught instructing officials to attempt to avoid providing veterans with their contractually-entitled care and benefits.
Those of us who are not veterans are stuck with the private US system when terrible wait times.
Always a fun time when you have to beg the ambulance crew to drive you to the VA instead of the closest hospital because it’s the only way the VA will cover your ambulance ride. Despite Congress telling them they need to pay for them three times. They even passed a law and the VA immediately ignored it.
Then God help you if they decide your emergency wasn’t actually an emergency. Because on top of all the other problems, a surprise medical bill was just what you needed.