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Private healthcare isn’t illegal in Britain. Frankly, whilst the NHS has its fault, it does at lest give ordinary people on low incomes access to healthcare without going bankrupt or having an insurance company that refuses to pay for lifesaving treatment. One of the most disgusting things I ever witnessed when I lived in the US was a husband and father neighbour who had a heart attack whose insurer refused to insure him for two years afterwards, meaning that if he had another heart attack, his family would have had to sell their house and they would not have been able to access non emergency treatment. Our family got great treatment because my Dad had a good job and top level insurance, but regular American joes where stuffed if they ever got seriously ill. There’s a lot I admire about America that you do better than US, but healthcare provision ain’t one of them, unless you are rich, in which case you are alright Jack...

I notice you failed to mention all the people who get surgeries and treatments postponed over and over.

A woman who ran the NHS for many years died waiting for a follow-up surgery.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371861NHS-director-dies-operation-cancelled-times-hospital.html

Government is the greediest, most corrupt and murderous force on Earth. Anything government touches becomes astronomically expensive.

Glad to see you putting your faith in something that won't let you down.

One of the most disgusting things I ever witnessed when I lived in the US was a husband and father neighbour who had a heart attack whose insurer refused to insure him for two years afterwards, meaning that if he had another heart attack, his family would have had to sell their house and they would not have been able to access non emergency treatment.

I understand your point. Those of us who have lived stateside for more than 40 years remember when the insurance company problems were miniscule by comparison. My dad was a parochial school music teacher when he was diagnosed with lung cancer in the 70s. That was a low paying job, but he got exceptional treatment, and wasn't kicked off of anything.

The problems increased as more (non health related) things were mandated for coverage (E.G. $20,000 per throw for in vitro fertilization in many states). Also, malpractice suits got completely out of control.

To be sure, since that era, some great but expensive technology has come along, and some great but expensive pharmaceuticals. It also doesn't help that we are getting older as a nation. Nonetheless, most of us here believe that the bulk of the problem of expense is coming from an unholy alliance from the established phamaceuticals/hospitals/government/lawyers who want to protect what they have, with government subsidizization of medical costs turning the whole system into a fun house of crazy mirrors, distorting eveything in its path.

At least you have a little outside pressure in England from the private providers. That is better than what Canada has, where a doctor accepting fee for service is illegal. This gives the patient very little leverage with the doctors.

There’s a lot I admire about America that you do better than US, but healthcare provision ain’t one of them, unless you are rich...

Well since Democrat limitation of health insurance from crossing state lines, and Obamacare, are the only things that make that true - but you mention neither - you're just another Democrat operative holding up the NIH as a positive example to spin yet another story of NIH murder.

Crawl back to DU, worm.