America Needs an NHS

A lot of hoo-ha has been kicked up in Britain this week about the Right's use of some UK politicians' quotations, taken out of context, to be used in advertising campaigns against President Obama's health care plan.

Britain's National Health Service provides universal health care to every British citizen. No matter where you live, how much you earn, how many children you have, nor how ill you are, you don't have to pay any more or any less than your neighbour for your health care. It is a system similar to ones in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan and all across the world.

And it isn't uncontroversial. Many in Britain are sceptical about the right of the very unwell to cost the fit and healthy money, indirectly, through taxes, especially if their illness is the result of their own stupidity or unhealthy lifestyle. After all, why should a non-smoking tee-totaller pay for a drug-user or drunk when they need medical help for the resulting illnesses?

And it's true that some don't think we should have it. The NHS in England recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and debate reignited over the affordability and accountability of a system that had remained relatively unchanged since it was founded, and which will account for about 8.2% of UK GDP in 2010 (source). Few don't agree with having the NHS, but many want a reduced publicly-owned portion with, therefore, increased privatization for the more expensive and less frequently used parts of the service.

Talk of enforced euthanasia, eugenics and all of the other stuff that Glenn Beck and FNC spout out about Obama's plan is ridiculous and crazy. And that they refer to the NHS when they do this insults me, as a Briton, my fellow countrymen, and indeed all of those who dedicate their lives to the helping of others. It's just ludicrous to even infer that the NHS enforces euthanasia -- which is illegal in the United Kingdom, always has been, and is neither popular, widespread nor wanted -- or has ever had a program of eugenics. There really is nothing else to be said about this -- simply that it is untrue, in every way, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either misinformed or lying to make a point.

Ultimately, what America must remember is to follow a motto that I, as a Christian, believe dictates my life -- treat others as one would wish to be treated oneself. If you had no insurance, if you had an illness that meant you couldn't work but required specialist treatment, then how would you wish to be treated? In the UK we have answered in a way that is so obvious to so many -- to help those less fortunate than us.

It isn't socialised health care. It is simple human decency.

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Comments

[bowthai]

>> "After all, why should a non-smoking tee-totaller pay for a drug-user or drunk when they need medical help for the resulting illnesses?"

I often hear this argument but I never fully buy it. It seems to reduce too many problems to one of personal medical responsibility. But in fact, the situation you describe (a teetotaler paying for someone else's liver transplant) is just a snapshot of some of the broader issues we face.

First, could social inequities be causing some medical problems? Poorer people often have limited access to healthier food, whether due to unavailability at local stores, restrictive pricing, or lack of access to information about healthy eating. Also, if one has to work multiple jobs, that limits the amount of time for physical activity. All this could lead to a plethora of health issues that too many hastily blame on lack of personal responsibility.

Second, I think looking at this in terms of medical costs blinds us to other costs. For example, isn't it better to provide treatment to a smoker with lung cancer so that s/he can continue to be a productive member of society? What if this person is a parent? How are the children helped if their parent is denied treatment? My point is that there's always costs when someone is sick, but 'saving' money by withholding health care might be paid for in other costs.

[Melany]

I hear all the complaining about how some people do not need to have health care or do not deserve it, but I disagree we all deserve to be as healthy as possible, not to have to choose between eating or getting a doctors appointment. A national health care system would be the key. Occam's razor keep it simple, most everyone pays taxes put it all in a pool and pay the bills. Get rid loop holes, keep people healthy and we all win. For those that think obesity comes from strictly being lazy, it also comes from being poor. It is a form of malnutrition, it's ugly and it is unfair. Let's walk in other people's shoes, try on a bit of humanity, empathy for it could happen to any one of us.