The Brits’ outpouring of ‘ilovetheNHS’ is compelling

It’s probably what you know and come to expect that drives your opinion. It certainly appears to be adequate for their needs.

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SamiraEdi You need 2 have the mental level of a Republican in a Coma to believe the garbage talk about the NHS. I mean, a party led by Rush Limbaugh?

Hell, this could be Michael “A Whole Lot” Moore, fat pinko typing for all bookman knows.

Credible, indeed.

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Aw, Jay, you think evidence is going to change their crazy little minds. Bless your heart.

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…..and the Queen ain’t a white guy either!

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“OMG, I can’t believe bookman is citing foreign bloggers who are obviously tuned into the most radical left wing moonbat propaganda for their information.”

Well he certainly seems to have you well and truly hooked, because you keep coming here.

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twitter? really? okay, that’s settles it, my mind is made up. Jay can you give us an update on Ashton Kutcher’s or Paris Hilton’s tweets? What is Miley Cyrus tweeting about? Please, give us more.

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with all this support, why doesn’t the democratic majority in the House and Senate have a bill on Obama’s desk?

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Jay, no matter how much evidence you present, or how many testimonials you share, the die-hard dittoheads will never admit that perhaps other countries do better at something and perhaps we can, too.

For those who aren’t diehard dittoheads, I’m curious as to whether any of this has altered your position at all?

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Stan, they love their National Health Service, which just so happens to be run by their government.

You know, they say “you get the government you deserve.” If we have such crappy government, as so many of you always insist, is that maybe because we’re crappy? And if we’re crappy, well, how can that be, because aren’t we the greatest country on earth in every way? Something’s not adding up here.

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Number of UK patients denied coverage: 0
Number of UK patients made bankrupt due to medical bills: 0

Number of idiots here in the U.S. who enjoy being denied coverage and going bankrupt due to medical bills: depends on how many Rush Limblow fans there actually are

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For a little balance to a listing ship:

Public satisfaction with the National Health Service is lower than when Labour came to power, according to a poll published today.
Four out of 10 people believe the NHS is “getting worse”, and the same figure would prefer to go private if they could, a Gallup survey for The Daily Telegraph found.
And the number of people who think the NHS has been a failure has doubled since 1997, the results revealed.
When Gallup asked voters four years ago whether “taking everything into account has the health service been a success or failure”, 10% said it had failed.
But today’s poll, which is one of the largest on the subject in recent years, found the number had doubled to 20%.
Nearly two thirds of those surveyed said they reckoned the NHS was “in somewhat failing health” or “very poorly indeed”.
A tiny proportion said they think the NHS is “in peak condition”, only 33% said it is “in reasonably good health”, and only 13% reckoned it is “getting better”.

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I forgot, there’s some $50B in cuts to Medicare funding. But I’m confused, will that provide more/better healthcare for seniors or less/worse?

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Stan August 13th, 2009 4:07 pm

Yeah!!! They love their government!! Good for them. I’m not so loving of mine. I don’t need my Government to take care of me.

Sorry mate, as a Brit, I hate my government for all their media twisting, thieving and incompetence and frankly the opposition are even worse. However, the NHS is truly one of the greatest institutions in Britain. Doctors and nurses here do great work and I will never forget how much they help so many in both big and small ways.

I don’t think there is anything particularly right or wrong about the NHS or the US system; they serve different purposes and different priorities. The reason so many Brits are coming out and fighting our corner is to counter the flat out lies from some Americans which are flat out wrong.

If America wants to reform its healthcare then good luck to you but don’t start insulting the NHS to make a false point.

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How about this, go to the UK talk to Brits who have been to the US. I’ve done it and while they can tell you of the headaches NHS gives them, not one would trade it for private health insurance only. grnted none of the ones I know are gazilllionaires, but then none of them are shiftless and none of them have declared banruptcy because of medical bills

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Wow! Positive comments about the NHS on a twitter list called #welovethenhs? Wo would have thought it.

Looks like a pretty intelligent bunch too. Visit their pages and see the Intellectuals’ other comments.

http://twitter.com/SamiraEdi

The above person tweets about every five minutes or so and it is nothing but an endless stream of outright partisan hatred.

And Jay thinks that we should take these folks opinions? They are clearly mindless partisans who are driven by their own hatred and intolerance. Who should we be taking our cues from next? Taxpayer?

BTW: Is Jay ever going to get around to making a case for th Democrats’s plan? Or is he going to keep making the case for the NHS and making the case that conservatives are evil? If he believes in the plan, he should be able to make some argument for it. Just once would be nice.

Looks like liberal partisans are just “tolerant” and “intellectual” over there as they are here.

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Funny how the Brits have suddenly found Jays AJC blog.., almost as if by some majical progressive design.

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Breaking: Finance Committee drops “death panel” provisions from Senate bill.

There goes Isakson’s cause.

Score one for the deathers.

Geez.

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BMA Poll Reveals The Public’s Fear For Future Of The NHS, UK

“A nationwide public opinion poll conducted by Hamilton Lock for the British Medical Association released has revealed how worried the public is about future funding of the health service in light of the recession.

Over three quarters (77%) of the public believe that cuts should be made in other government departments to protect NHS funding. When asked if taxes should increase to maintain the growth of NHS funding, four out of ten individuals (40%), agreed.

Around nine out of ten respondents feared that services could be cut (90%) and that waiting times for treatment could increase (89%). Over eight out of ten (85%) individuals believe there will be more charges for NHS services and eight out of ten (80%) thought the NHS should prioritise funding for the most important services. ”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155670.php

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“From the White House:8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage”

All at no additional cost! Step right up ladies and gentlemen and get a liberal supply of Obama Snake Oil! But hurry, it’s going fast! This once in a lifetime opportunity will be gone by the end of September. Don’t bother to read the fine print, nothing in there of any importance. Do the American thing and sign up now!!! Act now and we will even through in a Sham Wow! and a set of Ginsu knives! Step right up!

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Mike, apparently some aspiring PR stooge for the health-cost industry, forgot to add this penultimate paragraph from the medicalnewstoday article:

“Although the private sector has for many years played a role in providing NHS care, a majority of the public believe that the government’s dogmatic and misguided plan to commercialise the NHS has gone too far and is threatening the very future of the health service. The BMA would heartily agree and this bears out what doctors are telling us as part of our Look After Our NHS campaign.”

You got that? The UK public DOESN’T want an expanded private role in the NHS.

Sorry, but you get a failing grade on your Corporate Lickspittle 101 final exam.

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US/UK must be a real big mouth, or………they are aware of a search engine called Google.

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“Breaking: Finance Committee drops “death panel” provisions from Senate bill.”

No problem, they can get Chris Dodd to sneak it in the final bill in the middle of the night just before they vote on it.

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Business Week’s Analysis on French Lesson in HealthcarePosted in August 7th, 2009 by Dr. Healthcare in Cost, Quality, and Speed, Policy and LegislationBusiness Week did an anlysis on French Healthcare sometime last year. They find that it is alot similar to US healthcare system. According to BW, the French system is a complex mix of private and public financing which offers a valuable lessons for US healthcare reform.

In France, one can choose one’s own doctor and see any specialist they want.
Many of the doctors in France are self employed
Doctors can prescribe any care they deem necessary
According to WHO healthcare ranking, France comes in first as compared to US ranking 37th.
France’s infant death rate is 3.9 per 1000 live births compared with 7 in US
Life expectancy in France is about 2 years more than that in America.
They have significantly higher number of beds and doctors per Capita than US
France is also experiencing runaway healthcare cost. They are also contemplating HMO type of system to control cost. Still 65% of French are happy with their system as compared to 40% of Americans. This is besides the fact that France spends about 10.7% of its GDP on healthcare as compared to more than 16% spent by USA.

France does not have deductible for Seniors. But they do have modest co-pay. The copayments are dismissed for chronically ills. Most of the French buy supplemental insurance to reduce out of pocket expenses.

French prenatal care is one of the best in the world.

On the other side,

France reimburse its doctors at a far lower rate than US
The medical education is free, so doctors do not have student loan.
Malpractice insurance is much smaller compared to US
Physicians net income is about 1/3 of their US counterparts. However government pays 2/3 of their social security tax.
Specialist who have spent at least 4 years in a hospital are free to charge what they want.
Many doctors, there also, earn more by increasing patient load and over prescribing diagnostics and treatments.
The healthcare system in France has been running a deficit for last 25 years. French are also trying to cut cost. They are are implementing changes to achieve that.

BW says that though French have no reason to make any fundamental changes in their system

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I love how the left has no interest in making an argument for their plan. They just think that a name calling campaign against anyone who does not share their narrow views will get the American public behind this failing plan. Good luck with that.

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Also just to point out, While you may love the health ins* you get from Obama, Just think about how much you will like it when the Democrats are no longer in control of the Government.

And for as many folks that are perfectly happy with the NHS I’m sure there are at least almost as many that hate it.

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Seriously, these folks seem more than a little content with a service that the American right wing has used for years as an example of the worst in “socialized medicine.”

Well an American right winger’s lips cannot move without some corporate executive first wiggling his fingers. So, keep your eyes on the corporate executive’s fingers and you’ll have a heads up on the GOP’s next parroting points.

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If you believe the twaddle spouted about the NHS by the Neocons then you need to forget about health-care reform and concentrate on sorting out your education system.

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The national health system in France came in first in a recent quality ranking by the World Health Organization. (The United States came in 37th.) Surveys show that 78 percent of French citizens are happy with their health care system. France spends just 10.7 percent of its gross national product on health care; the U.S. spends 16 percent. The French system works much like Medicare in this country but covers the entire nation.

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Mark –

“If you believe the twaddle spouted about the NHS by the Neocons then you need to forget about health-care reform and concentrate on sorting out your education system.”

Neoconservativism refers to foreign policy. The constant misuse of this term by folks like yourself says a lot about your own lack of eduction.

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All this talk reminds me of the time I was invited over the pond to a tea party hosted by the Queen. You know she is hot for me like most old white ladies, they just can’t get enough of old Tamye Bobbye. Well who should I meet over there but some old crippled up guy in a wheel chair who speaks through a computer no less. Tamye Bobbye looked over at this poor excuse of a man and knew right off that he must be stupid too, when I hears from the Queen that he wrote a book or something like that. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, who ever would have thought a crippled up drooler could write a book?

I slapped that guy on the back and told him to high tail it over to the States and our docs could fix him up real quick like, not like the those commie docs in the UK.

Now this was a real fancy tea party the old dame was giving. I met some colored guy in a white diaper too, real short darkie with glasses. Had a real funny way of talking too. As I remember it he might have written a book too, who knew coloreds could read AND write.

Now, where was I, oh well, it was a swell party. Time for my nightcap. Hurry up colored boy, I’m thirsty. You just can’t find decent colored help no more

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GOP is gone …

“US/UK must be a real big mouth, or………they are aware of a search engine called Google”

hahaha … why can’t it be both??

seriously, there’s been loads of coverage over here about the slams on the NHS (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8199615.stm) in addition to the BBC, it’s been in the papers and so forth.

I think earlier today, someone (Anne Marie, I think) said that, while it’s not perfect, it’s still one of the best-loved British institutions in the country. And to hear a bunch of yay-hoos libel it to score political points just p’s them off, no small amount. I’m not surprised they found the blog … I hope some of them stick around (like Irregular Paul)

oh, and by the way, RW, you should take a bow for that!!

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The most “socialized” system is exemplified by Britain’s National Health Service. All citizens and legal residents are covered by the NHS. Ninety-five percent of NHS expenditures are financed through taxes, with the remaining 5% through user charges such as co-pays on prescription drugs, dental and vision services. Because there are no bills to collect or claims to review, administrative costs are very low. The government owns the hospitals and employs the doctors, but citizens can choose their doctors and where they receive care. Doctors are paid based on the number of patients they see and get additional financial rewards for keeping their patients healthy. As a result, Great Britain is the world leader in the area of preventive care.
To control costs, the NHS does not cover certain high cost treatments that are often ineffective. The most common complaints about the NHS involve waiting times—particularly for elective surgeries such as hip replacements.
Britain spends only 8.3% of its GDP on health care, or an average of $2723 per person per year. The World Health Organization (WHO), which ranked the US 37th in the world in overall health care, ranked Britain’s system 18th. Other countries with systems similar to Britain’s include Spain (7th), Norway (11th), and Sweden (23rd).
The health care systems of Germany, France and Japan are “insurance based” systems, similar to the US, but with several major differences. The first is that insurance is provided on a non-profit basis. The second is that insurance is paid for by payroll deduction, similar to the way we pay for Social Security coverage. Another difference is that coverage is universal—no one can be excluded based on age, health status, etc. Unlike Britain, the government does not own or operate hospitals and doctors are in private practice or are employees of hospitals.
In Germany, workers and employers split the costs, with each contributing approximately 8% of payroll to 240 different “sickness funds”. Coverage includes dental, prescription drugs and long-term care. Germany spends 10.7% of GDP on health care, or an average of $3673 per citizen.
In Japan, employers and employees each contribute 4% of payroll to mandatory national health insurance plans. While taxes are lower, the Japanese pay more in deductibles and co-pays for inpatient and outpatient care (30% for outpatient care and 20% for inpatient hospitalizations.) The Japanese spend 8% of GDP, or an average of $2358 per citizen per year on health care. The WHO ranked Japan 10th and Germany 25th in overall health care.
The country ranked Number One in health care is France. The French system has the most comprehensive coverage in the world, with quality care, excellent choices of doctors and specialists, and with no waiting time. The French system taxes employers 13.1% of payroll and employees 0.75% of payroll. Most people (87%) have additional private for-profit supplemental insurance. Income taxes provide coverage for the elderly and unemployed. The French pay higher taxes, which they accept as a necessity. They spend 11.1% of GDP on health care and costs average $3374 per person per year.
Canada’s single-payer system is often mischaracterized as “socialized” medicine. In actuality, a single-payer system is publicly funded with private delivery. Unlike Britain, the government does not own the hospitals or employ the doctors. Our Medicare system is an appropriate analogy to the Canadian system. In Canada, all insured people are required to be covered for all medically necessary hospital and physician care without co-pays or user fees. About 70% of total health care spending is financed by the public sector through income taxes, payroll taxes and sales taxes. Many Canadians obtain private insurance to cover prescription drugs, rehabilitation services, vision and dental care, which accounts for the remaining 30%. Canada spends 9.9% of GDP on health care, or $3678 per person. While Canadians complain of long waits for elective procedures and to see specialists, surveys show that a majority of Canadians are happy with their health care delivery system.

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getalife

Geez.

hehehe. Let’s see what Palin and Grassly and the other wing nuts complain about next. After all, sometimes, it helps to just be accomodating.

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.US/UK,

Does it embarrass you to be American when this paranoid craziness is given so much attention abroad? I felt like I had to tell people,Hello, I’m not a Bush fan, instead of Hello ,nice to meet you.

mike,

Try this just once. Pull out your thesaurus and look up alternative words for: narrow minded, partisan, hate, and intolerant.

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Robert and the other Brits here. Please know we are not all barbarians.

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I’m a Tory (right wing by our standards) Brit. I support the NHS totally. I’ve known an American who has died from a chronic long term condition (Carcinoid cancer) for which she would have been treated indefinitely here. I’ve also worked with Americans who have been terrified of losing their jobs because their children would then have no medical cover. Your right wing might call that situation freedom; I call it serfdom.

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Mark – Spot on about the education system

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I hate our royal family and most people are pretty indifferent to them actually

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Irregular Paul, Round of applause!

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Absolutely silly post JB. I am embarrassed for you.

For the life of me, I can’t understand the blind williness so many have to cede their health care to the government.

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Oh gee,,,,GOP is GONE!!!! @5:31

You said: ” Robert and the other Brits here. Please know that we are not all barbarians.”

That’s correct, Robert. We have tried with liberals but they are still barbarians. Would you like to try and train a few? All of them have had their shots.

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md –

“Many Brits have passports out of necessity, not because of superior culture. Get over it.”

necessity??? no, most Brits have jobs right here in the UK. most Brits have passports because they’re more outward-looking than Americans. GB is beautiful and has something for almost everyone (skiers being the only folks left out) … but, Italy and Switzerland are 2 hours away, France and Belgium are a ferry ride away, Greece and Turkey have fantastic beaches, India is a heckuvan adventure, Malasia is stunning, they have friends in Hong Kong, etc … in other words, Brits have passports because they realize that there’s an amazing world outside their borders and want to experience it while Americans are far more interested in seeing the sights in the US.

I’m not saying there’s anything necessarily WRONG with that, but that is a huge cultural difference between the UK and the US

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“Why is there not a movement to divy [sic] up their ill gotten gains?”

Because they are mostly already in public ownership. Relatively little of what is held in the name of the Crown is actually owned by the Royal family.

Even if you counted the wealth of the entire Royal family – even the distant cousins in lucrative private business – they wouldn’t get a sniff at a place on the Forbes list.

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Irregular Paul -

“Americans love them more than we do ”

I plead guilty to that. I think Elizabeth is an amazing woman who has served her country well since she ascended to the throne and she’s tried to raise her children and, now, grandchildren to do the same. (well, I’m not so sure about Beatrice and Eugenie, but the boys are both in the service and are making a contribution).

but, Prince Phillip … oh, dear.

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Dusty –

5:51

darlin’, put the snark down. you’re really not that good at it.

seriously..

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Woohoo and so goes USinUK, 5:48

Oh the great cultural distance, sniff and darhling!! Oh, where is that butler. He forgot to turn down my linens. How can I get my rest?

No wonder you live in UK, They can put up with snobs when most Americans consider people equal whether they eat snails or catfish. You are such a bore. And a liberal at that. You have shown all your credentials. Keep in touch. We love having some “Americans” abroad.

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“Aren’t you the lucky one!!”

I am indeed and I don’t deny it. It is you poor suckers I pity every day when I get my NHS treatment at the same NHS hospital used by Royalty and Prime Ministers .. so, sorry to shatter your illusions if you were gullible enough to believe IBD if they have ever told you that, along with Stephen Hawking, go to private hospitals when they need treatment

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Can Dusty ever blog with out mentioning some type of food? Just sayin…She must be your typical American Girl.

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The problem with the wingnuts is that their christian leaders are incompetent. They have no one to turn to to tell them the truth so they don’t trust anything or anyone.

Those christian leaders are probably paid to keep quiet.

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USinUK
“necessity??? no, most Brits have jobs right here in the UK. most Brits have passports because they’re more outward-looking than Americans. GB is beautiful and has something for almost everyone (skiers being the only folks left out) … but, Italy and Switzerland are 2 hours away, France and Belgium are a ferry ride away, Greece and Turkey have fantastic beaches, India is a heckuvan adventure, Malasia is stunning, they have friends in Hong Kong, etc … in other words, Brits have passports because they realize that there’s an amazing world outside their borders and want to experience it while Americans are far more interested in seeing the sights in the US.”

You just proved my point. Geographic necessity. Until recently, the Brits needed a passport to experience everything on your list, whereas those in the US did not. And until recently, all we needed to travel on the North American Continent and the Carribean was a drivers license.

Geography is/was the driving force behind passport ownership.

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