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Is that your response to all of the feedback comments, Gav, or only the one?

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "single payer health systems", Mate.

It's a response only to the quotation that I copied and pasted. We have a single payer system in the UK whereby National Insurance is payed through the taxation system. The US is the opposite as citizens pay health insurance as part of their particular terms of employment (a 'good job' must include private healthcare insurance)with the exception of Medicare and Medicaid that attempts to plug the unfair gaps.

In the UK, National Insurance Contributions are paid in part by the (working) individual, and in part by the employer. Self-employed people have to bear the total amount prescribed to them. These monies do not actually go towards any particular service provided by the government, but just get tossed into the revenue pot, just like all other government receipts (of which, as we all know, there are many and various).

Personally, I would much prefer a more direct and transparent mechanism of funding the Health Service. That is, so people could see how the taxes they pay are being put to (hopefully) good use.

Regarding the healthcare system in the USA, is it unfair? I don't know much about it, so I can't really say. But what I do know is that some of the finest hospitals in the world happen to be there, and some of the best medical equipment is manufactured there. There is Medicare and Medicaid (as you say), so some sort of provision if obviously being made for all and sundry.

This is so but does not belie the fact monies contributed by individuals and employers gets funnelled through a central system however non transparent to fund a national system of healthcare for all who need it (who doesn't?).

I certainly wasn't undervaluing the high quality of many of their hospitals or their medical equipment manufacture. That's a give and besides the point. Unfortunately the expense and inequity of the system has led to a great many bankruptcies (long before the credit crunch). The debate for a so called single payer healthcare system in the US has been gaining apace over the last few years and is reflected by the prominence of politicians like Obama and Clinton (whatever their other weaknesses).

The provision of Medicare and Medicaid only mitigates a unethical system of provision which isn't on the whole accepted in other developed countries. Afterall, the US military services provide free healthcare to their personnel even after they retire from service. This is deemed acceptable even though it is sustained by government money - shock horror.

Bankruptcies? Of whom? People struggling to pay medical bills? But surely you're not saying that they would be better off without Medicare and Medicaid?

Yes, the US has a fine organization known as the Veterans' Administration. It's a pity we haven't introduced it into the UK. Here our wounded servicemen get taken around the back of NHS hospitals so as not to "upset" or offend the civilians. And don't even ask about how ex- military people get treated in the UK. We used to have a handful of military hospitals, but I believe that they're all gone now.

The world would be a much better place if every man, woman and child anywhere and everywhere (in the world) had free access to the best possible healthcare (plus clean drinking water, decent sanitation, and all the rest). But I don't see that coming to pass anytime soon. At present mankind hasn't really moved on much from what we have been doing since the stone-age ... that is, killing one-another. Usually, I might add, in the name of ancient quarrels - hatred is probably a more accurate word - that go back thousands of years, and have no real relevance in the present day (apart, that is, from "keeping the plebs in their place").

But I can tell that we're not "singing from the same hymn sheet", you and I, so I'm going to get on with some work now. There's much to be done!

Now you really haven't seen Sicko have you, pity that the 9/11 rescue workers don't get the same treatment and no surprise that Cuba gave them free treatment. Nice publicity stunt for Castro!

Ah yes I'm wondering if perhaps the first people to come up with that idea didn't have a final solution The problem with that idea would be that those born mentally handicapped and children with leukemia would be penalised for either being born or just being sick. As for pensions your scheme would turn the pension system into a lottery for those who are lucky to have not had a day sick in their lives.

In your finally paragraph you've also brought a separate issue into play that of health holidays. My idea would be to make it a legal requirement for visitors to the UK to have medical insurance. Also limit the issue of visa's on arrival in the UK to a small number of countries (ie EU/USA) and require the rest to get a visa at a British embassy. Then if anybody arrives in the UK without the necessary documents fine the airline that permitted them to fly just like truck drivers get fined if stowaways are found in their trucks.

I'd also send representatives of the UK customs and immigration service to Australia, if we had their border control it would certainly improve things.

As for the NHS, as I mentioned a lot of changes seem to have been made more for politicians political agendas than to help the NHS. So I'd grant the NHS more independence from government so it can get on with it's job without having to play politics.

Yeah, let's bring back transportation to Botany Bay. You can be assured of my vote, Chris!

It's nice that you've mentioned the Wakefield saga (under the Disease thread), though ... is that long drawn out investigation the kind of thing that IPEM, VRCT et al are looking forward to ... but for biomed techs?

You do really live in a biomed bubble don't you! Apparently Australia's immigration policy is considered so strict that it's considered nearly racist and xenophobic! No over straying or secret health holidays to Australia!

Considered by who ... illegal migrants?

The thing is, Chris ... this forum is supposed to be about biomed (believe it or not). There are other forums (many, in fact) available for political "discussions".

But (meanwhile), the word "racist" is very much over-used, in my opinion. Abused, in fact. It gets spewed out every time some foreigner doesn't get quite the easy ride that s/he was hoping for (or promised), and usually by bigoted idiots who are more often than not guilty of so-called racism themselves. Frankly, I believe Australia can adopt whatever policies it chooses. It's their country. It's a pity our own policies here in the UK aren't less open to abuse. Was that a racist comment? Dear me, here I am slapping my wrists!

I know the forum is about biomed, but after not recognising another common knowledge fact I thought perhaps you live in a bubble or you've had a accident sometime ago and got your fingers glued to the keyboard