Healthcare in the UK
Posted by: Justin on 14 July 2004
Folks,
I read and hear from prepubescent medical students in the US who are scared shitless of universal heathcare that countries that have such a system are in shambles. One person said that she had to wait years to have her tonsils removed.
I tend not to believe a word of it, given that you all seem a happy lot and, in any event, your enjoyment of healtcare seems every bit as technologically advanced and proficient as that in the US.
But I want the truth. For those who live in the UK (and Canada), what has been your experience?
By way of comparison (in case you don't know), in the US a typical course of treatment for chronic tonselitus would look something like this for a person with private insurance:
January 1: Call to make an appointment with primary care physician for sore throat. Because it is an accute condition with possible bacterial infection, appointment would be scheduled for same day or next day. Say 2:00pm next day.
January 2: Arrive at 2:00pm and wait for 45 minutes to be called back into examination room. Wait additional 15 minutes in exam room. Doctor comes in, looks at throat, ears, etc. declares tonselitus and infection. Prescribed antibiotics. Then looks in chart and notices this is 7th time in two years for the same complaint. Suggests tonselectomy and writes referal to see ENT.
On checkout patient presents his insurance card, pays "co-pay" (average about $25 for an office visit). Insurance company will be charged $90 for the visit. They will "write it down" to $67, subtract the $25 patient just paid as the "co-pay" and pay the doc $42.
The patient goes to the drug store (pharmacy), waits 20 minutes for the scrip to be filled and pays about $10 for the anti-biotics (because it is generic and/or common).
Patients calls ENT's office and schedules earliest consultation for 45 days out.
Feb. 17: Patient arrives at ENT's office at scheduled time and waits 45 minutes to be called back to exam room. ENT prescribes tonselectomy and schedules it three weeks out at the local outpatient surgery center. Patient pays $25 copay.
March 6: Have surgery. Outpatient surgery center bills private insurance $1400 for use of the surgical suite, nursing staff and recovery supplies. Insurance "writes it down" to $650. ENT bills seperately for the surgery and bills insurance company $900 for the procedure. Insurance company "writes it down" to $450. As is typical, the patient has an "80/20" plan with a $250 deductible. Hence, the insurance company pays (in total) ($650 + 450 - $250)x.80 = $680. The surgery center (or ENT) charges the patient the addition $250 "deductible" and the 20%.
After all is said and done, it took about 2 months (give or take) to have her tonsils removed and cost her about $470.
Walk me through how this might go in the UK.
judd
I read and hear from prepubescent medical students in the US who are scared shitless of universal heathcare that countries that have such a system are in shambles. One person said that she had to wait years to have her tonsils removed.
I tend not to believe a word of it, given that you all seem a happy lot and, in any event, your enjoyment of healtcare seems every bit as technologically advanced and proficient as that in the US.
But I want the truth. For those who live in the UK (and Canada), what has been your experience?
By way of comparison (in case you don't know), in the US a typical course of treatment for chronic tonselitus would look something like this for a person with private insurance:
January 1: Call to make an appointment with primary care physician for sore throat. Because it is an accute condition with possible bacterial infection, appointment would be scheduled for same day or next day. Say 2:00pm next day.
January 2: Arrive at 2:00pm and wait for 45 minutes to be called back into examination room. Wait additional 15 minutes in exam room. Doctor comes in, looks at throat, ears, etc. declares tonselitus and infection. Prescribed antibiotics. Then looks in chart and notices this is 7th time in two years for the same complaint. Suggests tonselectomy and writes referal to see ENT.
On checkout patient presents his insurance card, pays "co-pay" (average about $25 for an office visit). Insurance company will be charged $90 for the visit. They will "write it down" to $67, subtract the $25 patient just paid as the "co-pay" and pay the doc $42.
The patient goes to the drug store (pharmacy), waits 20 minutes for the scrip to be filled and pays about $10 for the anti-biotics (because it is generic and/or common).
Patients calls ENT's office and schedules earliest consultation for 45 days out.
Feb. 17: Patient arrives at ENT's office at scheduled time and waits 45 minutes to be called back to exam room. ENT prescribes tonselectomy and schedules it three weeks out at the local outpatient surgery center. Patient pays $25 copay.
March 6: Have surgery. Outpatient surgery center bills private insurance $1400 for use of the surgical suite, nursing staff and recovery supplies. Insurance "writes it down" to $650. ENT bills seperately for the surgery and bills insurance company $900 for the procedure. Insurance company "writes it down" to $450. As is typical, the patient has an "80/20" plan with a $250 deductible. Hence, the insurance company pays (in total) ($650 + 450 - $250)x.80 = $680. The surgery center (or ENT) charges the patient the addition $250 "deductible" and the 20%.
After all is said and done, it took about 2 months (give or take) to have her tonsils removed and cost her about $470.
Walk me through how this might go in the UK.
judd