US v. UK Healthcare -- if you were really in need...

this is just a question I'm asking to satisfy my own curiousity...

If you were faced with a serious, even life-threatening illness, and you had the choice, would you prefer to be treated in the UK or in the USA? A friend of mine has become very ill and got me thinking about it, because she is American and here on a spousal visa--I think she plans to stay in the UK, but I would like to know what you folks might do if faced with that decision...

thank you very much -- jf

I'd rather stay here. 

I think I'd be tempted stay here for financial reasons, but I'd head home for emotional reasons -- if I had a life-threatening illness, I'd want to be with my family. 

I'd stay here.  This is my home.

I suppose it would depend on what the problem was, and how immediate the need was. 

For example: I have a kidney disease, which will eventually cause my kidneys to stop functioning.  There is no "cure" but there is the option of dialysis or transplant. 

In that case, I would likely return to the states as I have tons of friends and family who would opt to be live-doners.  Plus, that is where the "best" specialists for my particular kidney disease live/work.

Example two: I have a rare "blood disease" that can/will cause all sorts of havoc down the line.  If I needed life saving treatments, I would stay in the UK. 

I would likely stay for most reasons, only returning to the states if I felt that, for one reason or another, there was a bennifit to that.

I'd stay here.  It wouldn't even occur to me not to.

I think I'd be tempted stay here for financial reasons, but I'd head home for emotional reasons -- if I had a life-threatening illness, I'd want to be with my family.

Same with me!!!!

Well I always thought I would stay here. This is my home and I love it here but after reading this I think I may have changed my mind....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4203625.stm

I think I would go back to the US. But it's easier for me to say as I work for a US based company and still maintain my US health insurance. My sister had a very bad form of cancer and she went to M D Anderson hospital in Houston--people go there from all over the world for treatment & it's wonderful. I think I would look into what would be the best treatment for whatever the pertinent situation would be and try my hardest to get to it. But I would certainly hope my husband (the Brit) would come with me for emotional support. We actually have discussed this scenerio in the past.

Frances and Pebbles beat me to it by giving you what I think is the right answer... it depends on the efficiency of the health care trust where you live in the UK.

Bringing that issue close to home, my elderly mother received excellent geriatric care in the UK.  But when I developed a form of cancer which did not require immediate treatment, I did not dare leave it until I moved from the States to the UK, because there was a real chance I would sit on a waiting list until my condition was inoperable.

Jim
cured

I'd stay here. Hands down. And bring my mum over here for comfort.  My brother doesn't have work subsidized insurance and he's got a recurring ear problem (I know, not life threatening, but it's my only example at the mo) and he's had a hell of a time keeping his insurance because of it and pays through the nose. AND he had a bad infection (BAD) recently and couldn't get in to see his doctor for a week, and ended up going to the urgent care clinic. When I call my GP for even the most mundane thing, he or someone in his practice sees me within a day.....

I'd stay here. Hands down. And bring my mum over here for comfort. 

I'm not there yet (soon, I hope!) but I think I would stay and bring my mum over as well.  She's a British citizen and wouldn't hesitate if she thought she were needed.  And I've got family and friends in Scotland for support.  (I'm not terribly happy with my insurance company at the moment....grrrrr.... )

This is home... I'd stay here.
And i probably wouldnt even tell my family in the States that I was ill, as i wouldnt want to worry them.

I don't know what I'd do.  I have no insurance in the States and so affording treatment would be a major concern.  But if I was seriously ill, I'd want my parents nearby.  I got violently ill with stomach flu the week before I went home at Christmas.  I've never wanted my mom more!

Luckily for me, I have US expat health insurance through my company, so if I was ever to get really sick I could stay here or go back to the US and not have too much about the cost of treatment.

That reminds me, I need to register with a GP.   

bvamin