I posted a link a while ago...how satisfied were the American people with their healthcare, many were very unsatisfied. In fact, the healthcare in the States was actually ranked a lower than how Brits graded the NHS.
We both do pay for the medical care we receive...us via national insurance and general taxation and US through private insurance. The main difference being everyone here gets the same NHS treatment irregardless of how much they have paid into the system, which in light of uncontrolled immigration, seems to be a huge drawback nowadays.
One of the main differences is we don't have to pay for insurance. Yours is mandatory..
What happens to someone who chooses not to pay NI?.
Not paying NI won't affect the treatment you receive on the NHS.
I know it won't. Can you choose to just not pay it then?.
It's illegal to dodge paying NI if you are earning enough.
If you earn below a certain level you don't have to pay, but it will affect your pension when you retire if you don't make enough contributions whilst you are of working age.
Anonymous said
May 15 7:26 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
I posted a link a while ago...how satisfied were the American people with their healthcare, many were very unsatisfied. In fact, the healthcare in the States was actually ranked a lower than how Brits graded the NHS.
We both do pay for the medical care we receive...us via national insurance and general taxation and US through private insurance. The main difference being everyone here gets the same NHS treatment irregardless of how much they have paid into the system, which in light of uncontrolled immigration, seems to be a huge drawback nowadays.
One of the main differences is we don't have to pay for insurance. Yours is mandatory..
What happens to someone who chooses not to pay NI?.
Not paying NI won't affect the treatment you receive on the NHS.
I know it won't. Can you choose to just not pay it then?.
It's illegal to dodge paying NI if you are earning enough.
If you earn below a certain level you don't have to pay, but it will affect your pension when you retire if you don't make enough contributions whilst you are of working age.
I didn't know that, shows you're never too old to learn things.
Zillions of years ago when I worked, women were given a choice of NI contribution level (iirc), is that still done do you know? (I'm curious more than anything).
Maddog said
May 15 7:42 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
I posted a link a while ago...how satisfied were the American people with their healthcare, many were very unsatisfied. In fact, the healthcare in the States was actually ranked a lower than how Brits graded the NHS.
We both do pay for the medical care we receive...us via national insurance and general taxation and US through private insurance. The main difference being everyone here gets the same NHS treatment irregardless of how much they have paid into the system, which in light of uncontrolled immigration, seems to be a huge drawback nowadays.
One of the main differences is we don't have to pay for insurance. Yours is mandatory..
What happens to someone who chooses not to pay NI?.
Not paying NI won't affect the treatment you receive on the NHS.
I know it won't. Can you choose to just not pay it then?.
It's illegal to dodge paying NI if you are earning enough.
If you earn below a certain level you don't have to pay, but it will affect your pension when you retire if you don't make enough contributions whilst you are of working age.
So here, you can choose not to buy insurance. The government gives it to the poor for free and subsidizes those making below 75K (or so)..It's a sliding scale..
Plenty of people have insurance for $200 per month or less..I know a girl that pays $50/.month because so much of her income is under the table..
So not covering yourself is a personal choice that people make. Even then, they will be treated for any emergency they have.
Don't feel sorry for people thar won't avail themselves to the policies the government almost gives them, in lieu of more beer and weekend trips..
Is this system far more expensive? Yup. But I don't care and I doubt you care what your healthcare is costing the government when you really need it..You might wish it didn't take so damn long to get it though..
Syl said
May 15 7:46 PM, 2025
Anon /\...I am really not sure, it's years since I worked, also.
I was a stay at home mum for a while, then I retired early to care for my mum, so I actually didn't have enough NI contributions o get a decent state pension.
I voluntarily topped them up with a one off payment before I reached retirement age (I don't know if you can still do that) but it was well worth it.
Syl said
May 15 7:56 PM, 2025
Maddog, like I keep saying, all of us here have the option to go privately if we can afford to and if we choose to.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life.
I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
Maddog said
May 15 8:35 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog, like I keep saying, all of us here have the option to go privately if we can afford to and if we choose to.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life. I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
I wonder how much the average BUPA customer earns a year?
If it's accessible to say a teacher or nurse, then it's no big deal I guess..Somehow I think most of those policies are beyond the reach of "commoners'..
Or everyone would abandon the NHS..
Anonymous said
May 15 9:07 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Maddog, like I keep saying, all of us here have the option to go privately if we can afford to and if we choose to.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life. I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
I wonder how much the average BUPA customer earns a year?
If it's accessible to say a teacher or nurse, then it's no big deal I guess..Somehow I think most of those policies are beyond the reach of "commoners'..
Or everyone would abandon the NHS..
See, there you go talking out of your bum again.
Syl said
May 15 11:22 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Maddog, like I keep saying, all of us here have the option to go privately if we can afford to and if we choose to.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life. I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
I wonder how much the average BUPA customer earns a year?
If it's accessible to say a teacher or nurse, then it's no big deal I guess..Somehow I think most of those policies are beyond the reach of "commoners'..
Or everyone would abandon the NHS..
Are you trolling?
Maddog said
May 16 1:52 AM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Maddog, like I keep saying, all of us here have the option to go privately if we can afford to and if we choose to.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life. I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
I wonder how much the average BUPA customer earns a year?
If it's accessible to say a teacher or nurse, then it's no big deal I guess..Somehow I think most of those policies are beyond the reach of "commoners'..
Or everyone would abandon the NHS..
Are you trolling?
No. Is private care affordable?
Anonymous said
May 16 1:55 AM, 2025
He is not trolling. Ordinary working class couples both working full time cannot afford private health. There is a cost of living crisis due to Brexit incase you haven't noticed. The UK is broke.
Anonymous said
May 16 2:12 AM, 2025
Interesting to see the Albanian PM telling Starmer the offensive rhetoric about controlled immigration in the UK is unacceptable. We need the immigrant workforce, without them there would be no social care sector or medical staff. Apparently one third of immigrant NHS nurses plan to leave britain as they feel stigmatised after hearing Starmer's 'squalid' speech. The bigots need to realise beggars cannot be choosers.
Barksdale said
May 16 8:35 AM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
Barksdale said
May 16 8:40 AM, 2025
In some good news for the Labour government GDP rose by 0.7% in Q1 of 2025, and is expected to rise further as the year progresses.
We need to get this to more like 2-3% as a baseline but as it looks like inflation is under control this is a step in the right direction. We've had a decade of stagnant growth and falling standards of living so let's hope this trend continues.
Red Okktober said
May 16 11:15 AM, 2025
Barksdale wrote:
In some good news for the Labour government GDP rose by 0.7% in Q1 of 2025, and is expected to rise further as the year progresses.
We need to get this to more like 2-3% as a baseline but as it looks like inflation is under control this is a step in the right direction. We've had a decade of stagnant growth and falling standards of living so let's hope this trend continues.
I suppose it's a relief for them for something positive to have happened at last, although the prediction was 0.6% so it's only a small improvement, but good news is better than bad news. Lets not forget though that it's on the back of pensioners, the sick, and taxing small companies out of business.
Could be a slightly false figure though as many companies exported goods to the USA before Trump's tariffs came in, so there was an unusual spike of exports in March. Which will mean there will be a dip in exports now - it could be that that 0.7% will flatline or even start to drop.
Ireland had a 400% spike in March exports to the USA, I'm not sure what the figure here is, but it could be similar.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz70e0j0rx2o
Syl said
May 16 1:35 PM, 2025
Anonymous wrote:
He is not trolling. Ordinary working class couples both working full time cannot afford private health. There is a cost of living crisis due to Brexit incase you haven't noticed. The UK is broke.
It depends on what people's priorities are.
I think private health care would be affordable for an ordinary working class couple, both working full-time, if they budgeted for it. If they prefer to run a couple of cars, have expensive holidays, various streaming services, or whatever they consider luxuries in life...they probably can't afford it.
Like Barksdale has said though, most people here do rely on the NHS.
There is also always the option to pay for whatever private health issue you have as a one off....then return to the NHS when you have had your private treatment.
Syl said
May 16 1:38 PM, 2025
Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
I agree. We don't have ongoing private health care, but my husband has been treated for an ear problem both by the NHS, then a couple of years later, the problem returned, so for quicker treatment he went private.
The same surgeon operated on him both times.
Anonymous said
May 16 3:56 PM, 2025
If private healthcare is affordable to you then you have savings or a good wage and a comfortable life. That's fine but its not ethical to state its affordable for all. Single parents, couples with children working minimum wage, students, the elderly with a state pension who fear they can't pay the gas bill. None of these people can afford private healthcare.
Maddog said
May 16 4:29 PM, 2025
Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
My gym membership is $30 per month..
You can provide for all of your medical needs for that figure?.
Why would would anyone ever use NHS?.
Maddog said
May 16 4:35 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
I agree. We don't have ongoing private health care, but my husband has been treated for an ear problem both by the NHS, then a couple of years later, the problem returned, so for quicker treatment he went private.
The same surgeon operated on him both times.
And something tells me your husband has the financial ability to write checks that others can't. Nothing wrong with that. He has done well for himself.
But the point is, NHS wasn’t giving him satisfactory service and his quality of life was.being impacted..
The service your husband got going outside of your system is standard here and NHS like care is the exception..
But like I said a dozen times. It costs more. Seems like your husband was willing to pay for better care like I am..
Anonymous said
May 16 5:17 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
I agree. We don't have ongoing private health care, but my husband has been treated for an ear problem both by the NHS, then a couple of years later, the problem returned, so for quicker treatment he went private.
The same surgeon operated on him both times.
And something tells me your husband has the financial ability to write checks that others can't. Nothing wrong with that. He has done well for himself.
But the point is, NHS wasn’t giving him satisfactory service and his quality of life was.being impacted..
The service your husband got going outside of your system is standard here and NHS like care is the exception..
But like I said a dozen times. It costs more. Seems like your husband was willing to pay for better care like I am..
It's illegal to dodge paying NI if you are earning enough.
If you earn below a certain level you don't have to pay, but it will affect your pension when you retire if you don't make enough contributions whilst you are of working age.
I didn't know that, shows you're never too old to learn things.
Zillions of years ago when I worked, women were given a choice of NI contribution level (iirc), is that still done do you know? (I'm curious more than anything).
So here, you can choose not to buy insurance. The government gives it to the poor for free and subsidizes those making below 75K (or so)..It's a sliding scale..
Plenty of people have insurance for $200 per month or less..I know a girl that pays $50/.month because so much of her income is under the table..
So not covering yourself is a personal choice that people make. Even then, they will be treated for any emergency they have.
Don't feel sorry for people thar won't avail themselves to the policies the government almost gives them, in lieu of more beer and weekend trips..
Is this system far more expensive? Yup. But I don't care and I doubt you care what your healthcare is costing the government when you really need it..You might wish it didn't take so damn long to get it though..
I was a stay at home mum for a while, then I retired early to care for my mum, so I actually didn't have enough NI contributions o get a decent state pension.
I voluntarily topped them up with a one off payment before I reached retirement age (I don't know if you can still do that) but it was well worth it.
My OH has in the past when he needed quick relief, and so would I if the pain was enough to be spoiling my life.
I had no idea a second knee op would take so long, but because I had complications with the hip replacement, I have had to go through loads of physio, scans etc, before they have now put me down for the full knee replacement.
I think perhaps even a private surgeon (which is often the same one as would operate on you for the NHS) would have also wanted to do the same procedures before going ahead with the knee replacement.
I wonder how much the average BUPA customer earns a year?
If it's accessible to say a teacher or nurse, then it's no big deal I guess..Somehow I think most of those policies are beyond the reach of "commoners'..
Or everyone would abandon the NHS..
See, there you go talking out of your bum again.
Are you trolling?
No. Is private care affordable?
Private health insurance is affordable. Premiums obviously depend on people's ages, existing health conditions but you can get a decent invidual plan for less than a monthly gym membership costs (sometimes much less.) It depends on your priorities but most people are happy to rely on the NHS.
Paying privately for care if you don't have insurance can be expensive but generally noticeably lower than US prices.
In some good news for the Labour government GDP rose by 0.7% in Q1 of 2025, and is expected to rise further as the year progresses.
We need to get this to more like 2-3% as a baseline but as it looks like inflation is under control this is a step in the right direction. We've had a decade of stagnant growth and falling standards of living so let's hope this trend continues.
I suppose it's a relief for them for something positive to have happened at last, although the prediction was 0.6% so it's only a small improvement, but good news is better than bad news. Lets not forget though that it's on the back of pensioners, the sick, and taxing small companies out of business.
Could be a slightly false figure though as many companies exported goods to the USA before Trump's tariffs came in, so there was an unusual spike of exports in March. Which will mean there will be a dip in exports now - it could be that that 0.7% will flatline or even start to drop.
Ireland had a 400% spike in March exports to the USA, I'm not sure what the figure here is, but it could be similar.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz70e0j0rx2o
It depends on what people's priorities are.
I think private health care would be affordable for an ordinary working class couple, both working full-time, if they budgeted for it. If they prefer to run a couple of cars, have expensive holidays, various streaming services, or whatever they consider luxuries in life...they probably can't afford it.
Like Barksdale has said though, most people here do rely on the NHS.
There is also always the option to pay for whatever private health issue you have as a one off....then return to the NHS when you have had your private treatment.
I agree. We don't have ongoing private health care, but my husband has been treated for an ear problem both by the NHS, then a couple of years later, the problem returned, so for quicker treatment he went private.
The same surgeon operated on him both times.
My gym membership is $30 per month..
You can provide for all of your medical needs for that figure?.
Why would would anyone ever use NHS?.
And something tells me your husband has the financial ability to write checks that others can't. Nothing wrong with that. He has done well for himself.
But the point is, NHS wasn’t giving him satisfactory service and his quality of life was.being impacted..
The service your husband got going outside of your system is standard here and NHS like care is the exception..
But like I said a dozen times. It costs more. Seems like your husband was willing to pay for better care like I am..
Same surgeon just treated quicker.