Your view on Private Health Insurance?

Cars, holidays, watches, houses, clothes, dining out etc too. The possession of wealth shouldn't be something to be ashamed of if you have worked your back side off to earn it, especially if you took the risk to start a business, perhaps even with loans, became succesful and created jobs for others.

I have private insurance to give my family the best health care that I can. I feel no shame for this.
I didn't ask you to feel shame, I merely stated my own position.
 
These are all very valid and personal points. However, the current status and performance of the NHS is in no way whatsoever the fault of the NHS.

It is 100% the fault of this government and its long standing and now no longer hidden plan to defund and privatise the NHS.

Having heard first hand of some of the healthcare issues in the USA, I can categorically state that we should all be fighting with every ounce of strength we have to ensure the Tories do not lead us down that path, where people routinely die because they cant afford extortionate healthcare and medical costs.
its 2021 for fooks sake, people should nto be dieing because drug companies decide to charge $800 for insulin that costs $50 everywhere else (or is free)

I don't know who it was that said it, and I cant be ar$ed to look it up, but there are three things that should not be run "for profit", and that's healthcare, education and the prison system. and for a long time I couldn't really understand, but by Christ I understand it now.
 
Went private a few years ago as I was having some odd issues with balance/feeling on my right side. The NHS time to see a neurologist was six months, paid to go private and was seen in 3 days, had an MRI 2 days later and 3 days after that diagnosed with MS and then referred back to the NHS for treatment.
Total bill was about £3k I think, but if my symptoms and lesions had settled down by the time I was seen on the NHS I may not have had a diagnosis in time and could have had more relapses without treatment and be in a lot worse state than I am now.
Taken out private insurance since then through Vitality and thats about £50 a month - slightly offset by it paying for Amazon Prime, an Apple Watch and discounts on shopping at Waitrose so in real terms only costing me about £20. Not used it since I took it out though
 
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I don't have any problem with people having private health insurance. What I DO have a problem with is Private Healthcare operating on the back of the NHS, using their resources and personnel. For example making use of an MRI scanner. And this is where it starts to get complicated. If the MRI scanner is standing unused for periods of the day, why not generate money for the NHS by renting it out to the Private sector? That's OK but if we have NHS patients having to wait for an MRI scan because it has been booked for an outside use that is NOT OK.

If Private Healthcare gets you a nice room, broadband and satellite telly, no problem. If it allows you to jump the queue for treatment that's not OK. Yes get early treatment but in a separate system not by jumping the NHS queue by waving a few quid about.

It's complicated...
 
Cars, holidays, watches, houses, clothes, dining out etc too. The possession of wealth shouldn't be something to be ashamed of if you have worked your back side off to earn it, especially if you took the risk to start a business, perhaps even with loans, became succesful and created jobs for others.

I have private insurance to give my family the best health care that I can. I feel no shame for this.
I’m sure that wasn’t intended, but why feel the need to list all your possessions and things you do on a thread about private health. Believe me, if it goes to a US style health system even you will be gulping at the price.
 
I’m sure that wasn’t intended, but why feel the need to list all your possessions and things you do on a thread about private health. Believe me, if it goes to a US style health system even you will be gulping at the price.
They are not my possessions, they are things that people with wealth tend to spend more on. I was merely defending those who have done well for themselves and splurge a bit more on whatever they choose.
 
Has anyone in any government ever suggested that the NHS will no longer be free at the point of delivery? It's a sure fire vote loser.

I think some of you are confusing privatizing sections of the NHS so that it can be run more efficiently, with a US type system which is not free at the point of delivery.

I'm absolutely wedded to the idea of a free NHS but I have no problem with companies being contracted to run discreet and expensive services like X ray or Scanning outside of the NHS, but funded by the NHS. If the performance is good, what is the issue? I agree that the NHS is underfunded but just chucking loads more money at it will not improve things unless it is wisely spent.
 
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an additional hateful side of the US private healthcare system, is the number of people who cant afford insurance, and rely 100% on the cover as part of their employment, resulting in people being afraid of losing their jobs and their healthcare at the same time.

I often hear people in the US talking about "choice" and not wanting the government to make healthcare decision for them, and to some extent they have a point, but the only choice they have is which hospital is going to rinse them of $100k if they are unfortunate enough to need medical intervention. They other point they try to make is that why should their money pay for medical treatment of other people who arent paying as much as they are. and there is no response that doesn't include lots of swear words.

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Has anyone in any government ever suggested that the NHS will no longer be free at the point of delivery?

I think some of you are confusing privatizing sections of the NHS so that it can be run more efficiently, with a US type system which is not free at the point of delivery.

I'm absolutely wedded to the idea of a free NHS but I have no problem with companies being contracted to run discreet and expensive services like X ray or Scanning outside of the NHS, but funded by the NHS. If the performance is good, what is the issue? I agree that the NHS is underfunded but just chucking loads more money at it will not improve things unless it is wisely spent.

That sounds like it has some merit, until you look at every other occasion when things have been contracted out or partially privatised. In every case the quality of service has gone down and the cost has gone up. Private companies are there to turn a profit and pay shareholder dividends, end of story.

look at the raft of companies that have rinsed the tax payer over the least 15 years and provided shocking service in the meantime. G4S, Serco, etc etc .
 
I was merely defending those who have done well for themselves
You do realise you are parroting the Tory rhetoric that they use to justify their policies of privilege and wealth retention?

(Next line is "the politics of envy", if you want to save time checking with your puppet master)
 
That sounds like it has some merit, until you look at every other occasion when things have been contracted out or partially privatised. In every case the quality of service has gone down and the cost has gone up. Private companies are there to turn a profit and pay shareholder dividends, end of story.

look at the raft of companies that have rinsed the tax payer over the least 15 years and provided shocking service in the meantime. G4S, Serco, etc etc .
And that will get worse with the new Bill once private companies sit on health boards to decide how NHS money is spent.
 
an additional hateful side of the US private healthcare system, is the number of people who cant afford insurance, and rely 100% on the cover as part of their employment, resulting in people being afraid of losing their jobs and their healthcare at the same time.

I often hear people in the US talking about "choice" and not wanting the government to make healthcare decision for them, and to some extent they have a point, but the only choice they have is which hospital is going to rinse them of $100k if they are unfortunate enough to need medical intervention. They other point they try to make is that why should their money pay for medical treatment of other people who arent paying as much as they are. and there is no response that doesn't include lots of swear words.

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I've started a new job recently which is dealing with the US healthcare system, I'm incredibly glad we have the NHS still and would never want to go to a system like they have.

The tablets I'm taking would cost $20,000+ a year depending on what state I was living in over there and didnt have any insurance.
 
I'm incredibly glad we have the NHS still and would never want to go to a system like they have.
There isn't anyone in Britain who who wouldn't agree with that. The point really is - whether the NHS can provide services more cost effectively using private companies, or keep it all in house. Does anyone really know? And should any operation be available on the NHS - like sex change operations? Or cosmetic surgery? If there's a limited budget then I think it's right to prioritise treatments that benefit more people rather than fewer. 50 people with new knees are better than one person who feels better about themselves because they had a sex change.
 
There isn't anyone in Britain who who wouldn't agree with that. The point really is - whether the NHS can provide services more cost effectively using private companies, or keep it all in house. Does anyone really know? And should any operation be available on the NHS - like sex change operations? Or cosmetic surgery? If there's a limited budget then I think it's right to prioritise treatments that benefit more people rather than fewer. 50 people with new knees are better than one person who feels better about themselves because they had a sex change.
that sounds like a dog whistle to me.

I mean if you follow that logic, why treat smokers or drinkers or obese people? why treat dementia or Alzheimers? after all its only people getting old right?
 
Went private a few years ago as I was having some odd issues with balance/feeling on my left side. The NHS time to see a neurologist was six months, paid to go private and was seen in 3 days, had an MRI 2 days later and 3 days after that diagnosed with MS and then referred back to the NHS for treatment.
Total bill was about £3k I think, but if my symptoms and lesions had settled down by the time I was seen on the NHS I may not have had a diagnosis in time and could have had more relapses without treatment and be in a lot worse state than I am now.
Taken out private insurance since then through Vitality and thats about £50 a month - slightly offset by it paying for Amazon Prime, an Apple Watch and discounts on shopping at Waitrose so in real terms only costing me about £20. Not used it since I took it out though
When you had your MRI, what did they check, was it your brain or elsewhere? I ask as I've has similar symptoms that come and go. I've had a brain MRI, along with Inner ear and neck a while back that didn't show anything.

I went in for dizziness and tinnitus. but I get tingling down my left side, moreso in my arm, forearm and hand for a while but only from time to time, I put that down as a shoulder problem/trapped nerve as my left shoulder clicks and cracks whenever I move it. Perhaps I should get checked out.
 
I've started a new job recently which is dealing with the US healthcare system, I'm incredibly glad we have the NHS still and would never want to go to a system like they have.

The tablets I'm taking would cost $20,000+ a year depending on what state I was living in over there and didnt have any insurance.
I've worked in the US health system for the past 13 years and the cost of medicare is a considerable factor in our decision to return to the UK.
 
When you had your MRI, what did they check, was it your brain or elsewhere? I ask as I've has similar symptoms that come and go. I've had a brain MRI, along with Inner ear and neck a while back that didn't show anything.

I went in for dizziness and tinnitus. but I get tingling down my left side, moreso in my arm, forearm and hand for a while but only from time to time, I put that down as a shoulder problem/trapped nerve as my left shoulder clicks and cracks whenever I move it. Perhaps I should get checked out.
Brain and spine check, I did have another MRI with contrast a few years previously but nothing showed at that time.

The symptoms that got me a diagnosis were weakness on one side where my foot was dragging a bit, then my hand stopped working properly a couple of weeks after that to the point that my typing / mouse clicking was going a bit odd. Previously to that although it was about 5/6 years previously was where my eyesight went incredibly blurry and couldn't work for 3 months as I couldn't see a monitor properly (or TV which made sitting round the house a bit dull)
A good dose of steroids sorted the problems in both cases though and neither has happened since then.
 
Brain and spine check, I did have another MRI with contrast a few years previously but nothing showed at that time.

The symptoms that got me a diagnosis were weakness on one side where my foot was dragging a bit, then my hand stopped working properly a couple of weeks after that to the point that my typing / mouse clicking was going a bit odd. Previously to that although it was about 5/6 years previously was where my eyesight went incredibly blurry and couldn't work for 3 months as I couldn't see a monitor properly (or TV which made sitting round the house a bit dull)
A good dose of steroids sorted the problems in both cases though and neither has happened since then.
Thanks. my symptoms don't really affect me in the way you described as mine is more an ache/tingling rather than a weakness. My eye sight is blurry, but glasses sort that out, it does get a little worse if I have a headache though, but that's probably all linked to the dizziness and tinnitus.

Getting old is a minefield!! :ROFLMAO:
 
The level of care they are getting is shockingly bad. Obviously people are doing their best, but they are over worked and under staffed.
It's more to do with the unprecedented levels of demand, the system was never designed to handle this level of demand for service and it's too difficult to staff up quickly. Unless you are royal, a tory MP or Lord or a celebrity you'll struggle in the private sector to get enough staff to look after you also. I'd expect health insurance premiums to significantly rise too
 
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