Which area has the "best" healthcare?

Just for the heck of it.....my wife and I were just discussing this (and whether I will drop the US insurance this year or next).......her point is the US system really sucks because you pay so much for the health insurance...and then have to pay more anyway when you actually get the help. I asked her how much she paid here in the UK....she couldn't remember. When I looked..... if I have it right it's 12% of your pay for most people (nothing if you don't make much)....not sure I read that right though. But if so that's more than I'm paying for my US health insurance....by quite a way. Granted....the extra money you have to kick in upon treatment varies but I only rarely go to the Dr.

jimbocz- if you are working here in the UK.....you are paying for it. Unlike most places in the US, you don't have to pay for it afterwards......it's kind of like my US health insurance which I get through my work (which I carried over into retired)......they take the money out of my pension before I ever see it. It doesn't hurt so much that way.......   I'm in no way zapping the NHS, they have treated me pretty well in the years I have been here.

Curious as to how you came to the 12% figure.  I believe the NHS is funded out of the general budget, unlike Medicare in the US which has a separate tax on earned income.  National insurance is 12% on earned income but that pays for the old age pension (UK equivalent of SS), not the NHS.  Is that what you see on your wife's pay slips?

As to cancer treatment my family in the UK has great success stories (for those that got it).

BIL was having dizzy spells, doctor referred him to ENT specialist who then referred him to a neurologist who ordered an MRI. He went in for the MRI and they kept him in hospital, removing a tumor next that was on his brain stem.  It was found to be very slow growing, this was in 2000.  He has regular scans and has been back in twice for a "haircut" to keep the tumor size down.  They can't remove it completely as it is too tightly wrapped around the brain stem.

Wife's aunt was discovered to have breast cancer in her 60's.  Lumpectomy and chemo treatment, died in her late 80's from other causes.

Wife's mother discovered to have extremely small cancerous lump in a breast when she was 75.  Treated with pills and kept under control until she died of other causes at age 78 (she had a great many health issues in her 70's).

7 years ago my sister was found to have cervical cancer while in her late 30's after a routine pap smear.  Laser surgery same week didn't solve the problem, nor did a second surgery so she opted for a hysterectomy.  All happened within 6 weeks.  Check-ups every 3 months for 2 years until she was declared clear of cancer and is back on annual check-ups now.

Curious as to how you came to the 12% figure.  I believe the NHS is funded out of the general budget, unlike Medicare in the US which has a separate tax on earned income.  National insurance is 12% on earned income but that pays for the old age pension (UK equivalent of SS), not the NHS.  Is that what you see on your wife's pay slips?

If I interpreted it correctly......in this under section 2.2
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions

My wife retired when I did...so no idea what was on her pay slips.

If I interpreted it correctly......in this under section 2.2
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions

My wife retired when I did...so no idea what was on her pay slips.

I don't doubt the 12% figure for NI tax but I believe ALL of the NI tax and voluntary contributions goes into the state pension fund.  I pay NI contributions while living in the US but am not entitled to NHS treatment when I visit as I am not a resident paying UK taxes as I think that the NHS is funded from income tax revenue, not NI income taxes and contributions.

Interesting to see that the UK spends more on the NHS than on pensions

http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/government_expenditure.html

I don't doubt the 12% figure for NI tax but I believe ALL of the NI tax and voluntary contributions goes into the state pension fund.  I pay NI contributions while living in the US but am not entitled to NHS treatment when I visit as I am not a resident paying UK taxes as I think that the NHS is funded from income tax revenue, not NI income taxes and contributions.

Interesting to see that the UK spends more on the NHS than on pensions

http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/government_expenditure.html

You have dual citizenship......and you aren't able to use the NHS??? That one doesn't make sense to me.

You have dual citizenship......and you aren't able to use the NHS??? That one doesn't make sense to me.

It makes sense that since  I don't pay into it then I don't get to use it. However when we return next year we will be eligible on day 1 of our arrival as we will be intending to stay and will be paying UK taxes from day 1.


ETA
Emergency Room treatment is available free for all visitors

IMO, it really depends.  I don't think there's one area in the UK that has the "best" healthcare.  At my GP surgery, there are some doctors I love and think are amazing, and some I really try and avoid as I don't think they're nearly as understanding or helpful.

In a city (ex. London), I've found that the waiting time for non-urgent GP appointments is on the lengthier side (approximately 2 weeks) due to the vast amount of people who need access.  In contrast, in more rural areas, I've gotten a non-urgent GP appointment within a few days of calling. 

On the flip side, if you live in more rural areas, access to specialist services may be more difficult as you will likely need to travel a bit to get to a hospital, and due to travel practicality, you may only have limited options of which hospitals to choose from.  In a city; however, there are usually quite a few choices and relatively close to you.

IMO, it's similar to the US.  In any given area, you'll have good and bad doctors, and good and bad services.  Rural areas may pose challenges urban areas do not, and vice versa.

I would argue that large urban areas are where you don't want to go for treatment due to overstretched/overcrowded/underfunded services.

I take your point but I would rather be sent to a large teaching hospital if I needed treatment for anything like heart attack, cancer and so on.  For example, a London oncologist said she would prefer someone to get treatment at one of the Leeds teaching hospitals rather than somewhere like Northampton.  Northampton hospitals may be preferable for other things, I don't know.

I take your point but I would rather be sent to a large teaching hospital if I needed treatment for anything like heart attack, cancer and so on.  For example, a London oncologist said she would prefer someone to get treatment at one of the Leeds teaching hospitals rather than somewhere like Northampton.  Northampton hospitals may be preferable for other things, I don't know.

I'm just hoping......step daughter works at Leeds.....

If you live in a rural area you will be taken to a main hospital for any major procedures but for recovery you might well be sent back to a local hospital. This is partly to allow for easier access for visitors, but also your local hospital knows your GP and local nurses better and can liaise about ongoing care.

Some hospitals have speciality for example Ayr hospital in Scotland does a lot of opthalmic procedures and has a close link with an Indian teaching hospital.  But back surgery tends to be done in Glasgow.

I'm just hoping......step daughter works at Leeds.....

No complaints from DH who had his kidney transplant at Jimmy's.  The Yorkshire Cancer Centre there is topnotch.  As said above, different hospitals do tend to specialize.