I don’t mean to be anti-American at all, I’ve just come across both of these issues recently and thought I’d mention them. Doctor CBB at CodeBlueBlog produced the following article about breast cancer screening in Britain.
Having read this Blog for a while, I’ve realised how the author passionately believes in the US healthcare system, and thinks that the British nationalised system is a dismal failure.
Well perhaps it is, but I like it, and here’s why: in the US 16% of the population remain uninsured. (1999 data, the proportion has increased under the Bush administration). I’m assuming that you wouldn’t be kicked out of an ambulance if you weren’t insured, but what if you had cancer? Would you be thrown out of the hospital?
The NHS may have problems, but it remains free and accountable through the electorate. Perhaps we may not be able to vote with our feet as consumers, but we don’t have to pay for the privilege.