US Adverts on National Healthcare

There are horror stories everywhere.  But don't tell me 40 million people without insurance is by any means acceptable. 

It's not just the uninsured either. 75% of people who end up declaring bankruptcy due to an inability to pay health bills actually had insurance when they first got sick. Many Americans don't understand that so many of them are likely one serious illness away from financial disaster.

Doesn't Canada's system forbid any kind of private medicine? I seem to remember reading that in the context of Canucks coming across the border as medical tourists.

Apparently not
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Canada#Restrictions_on_privately_funded_health_care

Eh. Not forbidden, just so restricted as to mangle the definition of "privately funded."

In 2006, a Canadian court threatened to shut down one private clinic because it was planning to start accepting private payments from patients.

Now... my other question is this:  Why is one of the main arguments against healthcare in the USA based on keeping government out of our lives....yet many of these same people want to control people's lives by telling them what "marriage" is and who they can love and can't?  Where are the calls against the erosion of freedom under the Patriot Act? 

Actually, a large number of people who object to "Obama-Care" also object to the freedom-destroying Patriot Act.

It's not just the uninsured either. 75% of people who end up declaring bankruptcy due to an inability to pay health bills actually had insurance when they first got sick. Many Americans don't understand that so many of them are likely one serious illness away from financial disaster.

My son is not near to declaring bankruptcy yet, but this is true of him - he was gainfully employed with good health insurance coverage through his work when he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease two years ago.  He's been unemployed for six months now, nothing on the horizon, and he's been turned over to the collection agenty for his unpaid doctor and hospital bills (thank heavens, his illness is in remission at the moment)...the only bright spot is that he was fairly close to having everything paid off, so it's not a huge amount...

My mom tell me she pays $88 a month for Medicare coverage...and very grateful she is, in her early 70's, to not need to take any kinds of medication because she doesn't think she'd be able to afford it...

Actually, a large number of people who object to "Obama-Care" also object to the freedom-destroying Patriot Act.

Oh but so many don't.....  Paul... so many don't.

Maybe the Libertarians... (the ones I know anyway), but in the US a lot of Republicans support government in areas like the Patriot Act, marriage, military and defence industries...

In my experience, the only hope of getting a sensible conversation going between people from opposing ideological camps is to narrow the discussion to small, specific concrete issues and hash it out at that level. You move things up to the abstractions and you might as well load the blunderbusses and start on your ten paces.

Move this beyond health care, it's going to go fever swamp in no time...

IIRC, some of Canada's provinces and territories allow private insurance, and others do not.  My only exposure to the system there was through an ex-fiancé and a few other Canadians I've been friends with over the years.   So that health act is more like a ban in some places than in others.

In my experience, the only hope of getting a sensible conversation going between people from opposing ideological camps is to narrow the discussion to small, specific concrete issues and hash it out at that level. You move things up to the abstractions and you might as well load the blunderbusses and start on your ten paces.

Move this beyond health care, it's going to go fever swamp in no time...

I'd much prefer a rapier myself.  

As for the discussion at hand your point is understood.  However, my question is a genuine one, and I reserve the right to hijack this thread or any other as it suits my wandering and strange mind.  (How's that for a run on sentence?)

Back to the issue of health care I will never feel that the current US system is acceptable.  I think even the more conservative elements in the USA are willing to admit something needs to be done.  What differs is the ideological background as to what should be done.  

I just hope that they are able to cobble together a plan that has some sense in it.

That's the problem . I've seen one advert on YouTube (I think the link was posted on a thread here on the forum) and I just hate the thought of all these Americans seeing the adverts and believing the propaganda that the NHS treats its patients badly. Granted, it's not a perfect system but I would take universal healthcare over the US system any day .

People ask me from the states what I think and I say I don't know because I was denied use of the NHS because I'm on a spousal visa. I could have fought it but my local GP was so nasty I don't care to set foot in that office again.  I found good private doctors and I use my health insurance from the US(BC/BS) here and have no problems at all getting re reimbursed minus 30%.
There will be problems though when I start work and have to make NHS contributions on something I can't use, someone told me about £200 a month. That and $300 for BC/BS a month is a lot for me to pay. 
Does anyone know if I can opt out of NHS contributions?  Seems a bit unfair that I have to pay 2 health insurances especially when I read a story on this site about overstayers able to register with the NHS.

Um... you should not be denied use of the NHS.  My dad was there visiting me and was able to see my GP when he ran out of meds... very odd... I'd report the GP and find another GP.  Is it the same person your spouse goes to?

Very odd indeed.

Um... you should not be denied use of the NHS.  My dad was there visiting me and was able to see my GP when he ran out of meds... very odd... I'd report the GP and find another GP.  Is it the same person your spouse goes to?

Very odd indeed.

I know I shouldn't have been. The claim was I need to pay NHS contributions for 6 months.  I would love to report them but he is the same GP my husband uses. I've read about a couple of people who have been told they can't use the NHS on spousal visa's.

I know I shouldn't have been. The claim was I need to pay NHS contributions for 6 months.  I would love to report them but he is the same GP my husband uses. I've read about a couple of people who have been told they can't use the NHS on spousal visa's.

It's still not right, even if other people have been told that. Wouldn't you rather report the GP and pursue this? It seems a shame to be paying for something when you don't need to.

I'd find a new GP for both of you.  I honestly wouldn't trust a GP that can't even get their facts straight.  If they don't listen to a patient on something like this then what if there is a genuine medical issue?

  Can't the people you saw privately see you on the NHS?  Sorry I don't know much about what you can do, since I had a dream of a GP.  They were so good I cried when I had to say goodbye.

I was self employed and did not pay a thing into the system or NI as I never made enough.  I think that's the only way you can avoid paying.  I'm going to ask that this thread be spilt so maybe it can help you and others out there.

Does anyone know if I can opt out of NHS contributions? 

I was self employed and did not pay a thing into the system or NI as I never made enough.

There's no official opt-out available if working, other than that low-income from self-employment exemption.   If you are an employee, your employer will deduct your N.I. "contributions" (a misleading term if ever there was one) before you get your wages.   

But even if exempt as self-employed, you are still paying into the system one way or another anyway.  The original intent that National Insurance payments funded the health service and other benefits (unemployment etc.) separately has long since been lost, and it's just one of many taxes which goes into the general taxation bucket.  So you're still funding it via VAT and all the other other taxes you pay.