The NHS & the United States of America

[asheep_uk]

So, thats a total of $770 per month.

For that much, here you could have a policy with no deductable. You would also have the ability to choose your hospital, doctor, time of visits and treatments. A tv and bathroom could be expected as well.

A lot of other things come out of National Insurance, such as your pension. You also receive money (and so does your employer) for unlimited sick days, which are unlimited – those are things your HMO does not cover. And do bare in mind that £200-odd that your employer pays you don't "get" otherwise, it's just a part of employing people in this country. It's not a tax on your salary, so it's of no personal effect. If companies didn't have to pay it, they sure as hell wouldn't give it to you.
I can still choose my hospital and doctor, and I do.

I'll take LRs word for it that his story is true. But, I've never seen or heard of insurance playing any role whatsoever in where you go in an emergency. In fact, the law is that hospitals can't turn a person away in the event of an emergency.

But the fact remains you have to pay for it soon as you're well enough, and if you didn't have insurance, you're ****ed.

Rather than paying $700 for a healthcare plan that sorts you out, why not pay $700 to sort the whole country out - and an 'insurance' policy that pays for your hospital, your sick pay, makes sure the company you work for isn't out of pocket and funds your pension when you retire? And you never, under any circumstances, have to get out your cheque book.