Rush: The people of Great Britain don’t like the National Health Service

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That's not universally true. Some employers do charge varying percentages of the premium based on the income level of the covered employee. Make less, pay less. Make more, pay more. For the same plan. One could say that a degree of socialism has crept into corporate America. Now I know this is hard to swallow but it happened prior to America putting a socialist Kenyan into the White House.

First time I have heard of that. Almost every place I have looked at allowed to each employee to choose the type of benefits they wanted, and the employer contribution was fixed for each of the possible choices.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

First time I have heard of that. Almost every place I have looked at allowed to each employee to choose the type of benefits they wanted, and the employer contribution was fixed for each of the possible choices.

All but one place I worked at had it the way you describe. But there's one employer I know of from my own personal experience where the employer contribution to the health insurance plan is on a sliding scale based on income brackets. In a way, the higher income staff subsidizes the health plans for the lower income staff. Pure socialism. In corporate America.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Mr. Big Dog

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Pure socialism. In corporate America.

Or, creative accounting. In the end, all employees are the ones subsidizing their own healthcare, by receiving wages less the employer contribution. Advantage to the employee, less income taxes. No advantage to the employer, as all employee compensation is deductible as a business expense.

Edited July 31, 2012 by The Patriot

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

As an American living in the UK, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the NHS. I've been covered from the day I moved here as has my daughter. I pay for nothing but my prescriptions and as I buy a prepayment certificate....I pay £10.40 a month for ALL of my prescriptions as does hubby. Normally they are just under £8.00 a script. I don't pay anything for my birth control and daughters scripts are free. Her eye exams and glasses are free, her dental exams are free. Hubby's eye exams are free as he is over 40 and has a parent with Glaucoma. I have never had to wait for an appointment and my GP sent me straight in for a rheumatology appointment for my arthritis. When I was here last time, I had a growth over my eye that looked like skin cancer...I was seen and had it removed within a week. Hubby pays a total of just under £400.00 a month in taxes. Compared to our taxes, medical insurance, and medical BILLS (with insurance) we are far better off here!!!!

Say what you will about the NHS, I like knowing that an unexpected hospitalization won't cost us thousands and thousands of dollars!

[^_^ 5,021]

Kathy, sure but you have given up your liberty. Talk about making a deal with the Devil. How can you live with yourself?

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Kathy, sure but you have given up your liberty. Talk about making a deal with the Devil. How can you live with yourself?

I'll find a way

Edited July 31, 2012 by Glyn and Kathy

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Kathy, sure but you have given up your liberty. Talk about making a deal with the Devil. How can you live with yourself?

What liberty has she surrendered? The liberty to drown in debt for medical reasons or the liberty to croak prematurely?

[rocks 494]

As an American living in the UK, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the NHS. I've been covered from the day I moved here as has my daughter. I pay for nothing but my prescriptions and as I buy a prepayment certificate....I pay £10.40 a month for ALL of my prescriptions as does hubby. Normally they are just under £8.00 a script. I don't pay anything for my birth control and daughters scripts are free. Her eye exams and glasses are free, her dental exams are free. Hubby's eye exams are free as he is over 40 and has a parent with Glaucoma. I have never had to wait for an appointment and my GP sent me straight in for a rheumatology appointment for my arthritis. When I was here last time, I had a growth over my eye that looked like skin cancer...I was seen and had it removed within a week. Hubby pays a total of just under £400.00 a month in taxes. Compared to our taxes, medical insurance, and medical BILLS (with insurance) we are far better off here!!!!

Say what you will about the NHS, I like knowing that an unexpected hospitalization won't cost us thousands and thousands of dollars!

I like it when you turn up.

[rocks 494]

Oh and just to split hairs, does this mean that Northern Ireland likes the NHS?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

..the liberty to croak prematurely?

Top doctor's chilling claim: The NHS kills off 130,000 elderly patients every year

over 6% of hospital patients in England still acquire some form of infection during their stay, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Edited July 31, 2012 by The Patriot

[JohnR! 5,495]

1343752253[/url]' post='5571440']

What liberty has she surrendered? The liberty to drown in debt for medical reasons or the liberty to croak prematurely?

The liberty to die in the hands of a HMO, to be denied coverage for certain ailments if they are expensive and the right not to complain to anyone because the insurance companies are virtual fortresses.

You may die on the street, but you'll do so as a proud American knowing that someone is making a buck on you as you take your very last breath!!!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony in London was “more socialist” than the Beijing version four years ago, and a tribute to the National Health Service included in the performance was “done on behalf of” President Barack Obama, Rush Limbaugh claimed  Monday.

“Of all the things that you want to honor,” he said on his radio show. “I mean, the people of Great Britain don’t even like the National Health Service! And then it hit me, and then it hit me. It was actually done on behalf of President Kardashian. They did it for Obama. Nobody will convince me otherwise.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/79160.html#ixzz22AdarWDj

Do people take Limbaugh seriously these days?

I'd forgotten quite how bad his schtick really is.

[^_^ 5,021]

Do people take Limbaugh seriously these days?

Yes.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Hundreds of dollars in taxes vs hundreds of dollars in pre-tax deductions... what's the difference?

You're guaranteed a level of care, which in turn guarantees a standard of living. It's not perfect, it doesn't cover everything and yes people complain about it, but in this world I think we're all adult enough to know now that there are no perfect answers.

I can say from my experience, however, having experienced both systems that the NHS is preferable to the HMO "how much will it cost? who knows?" private insurance industry". Much as I might complain about it.

[^_^ 5,021]

You're guaranteed a level of care, which in turn guarantees a standard of living. It's not perfect, it doesn't cover everything and yes people complain about it, but in this world I think we're all adult enough to know now that there are no perfect answers.

I can say from my experience, however, having experienced both systems that the NHS is preferable to the HMO "how much will it cost? who knows?" private insurance industry". Much as I might complain about it.

Yeah I don't doubt that those of you who say you prefer NHS are sincere.