In the UK, pretty much any treatment is covered at the most basic level needed - unless it involves new "unproven" expensive drugs (which the media likes to rant about). Some people do complain that they could get a better treatment abroad, and in that case - they should just go abroad and get it instead of sitting here whining about it

"I use prayer.

Its free"
-BW, silting your wrist has a higher success rate.

"Yeah, how dare people need medical attention. They should just hurry up and suffer in silence."
-Yeah, instead of whing because they can't afford proper healthcare, everyone should just pray and throw themselves on the mercy of God. Of course that is the Right way of doing things.

If anyone in America wants health insurance they should work for a hospital.

No, people who are 90+ and want a liver transplant can still get it privately.

But under the NHS system a 5 year old from a poor family would get priority over a rich 90 yr old.

Whereas in your country the 5 year old would die unless his family had medical insurance or could somehow find a way to pay.

"You all believe in your Govt. to provide for you........You have faith in your appointed gods, to decide what is best for you all."
- And you belive in your god to provide for you:) And you don't care of the 727304 homeless people without homes in your country, no way that you would help them, they deserve to be where they are ofc. Such nice place. Sigh.

Or to talk about the health insurence.

"Nearly 47 million Americans, or 16 percent of the population, were without health insurance in 2005, the latest government data available."

http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.shtml

Nice:) But if they get ill then that's what they deserve according to BW.

@ Selur.  So does the US.

This is like a round and round conversation that you non-Americans just do not comprehend.
The US provides for those that do not have the means to get Health Coverage.
ANY individual can walk into a hospital,..... No matter if they have coverage or not, and be treated.

If you are an Illegal Alien, or someone w/o any health insurance.....w/o any Identification.....you cannot be denied medical attention.

Tell me, In the UK, or any other Euro country:
Can you walk into an Emergency room w/o ID and be treated ?
Can you walk into an Emergency room w/o your health card or w/o insurance coverage and be treated ??
Can an illegal get medical attention ??

Walk in.  Not an emergency victim.  A walk in.

* * * *

@ Dragon.
couple of facts for you:

1.   In a country of an estimated 301 million (2007 CIA fact book, Estimated) There are those that live on the street, as a preference.
Is this a concept that is to hard to comprehend ??  I suggest you research it.  Its a fact.

2.  The US at the state level spends huge amounts of money housing the poor. 
Research  Section 8 Housing.  Social Services from any state.  Use New York a liberal state, and Use Texas a Conservative state.  You will see the same outcome.  PLENTY of public housing.

3.  Health Insurance is not a necessity.  Its not a strange concept.  Many years I went w/o coverage as a single guy.
a.  If I needed a doctor, I went and paid for it.....rarely so in my late 20's
b.  If I needed hospital stay..... I was a veteran.  No worries, I go to a VA hospital.
I was uninsured.  Tossing out "numbers" doesnt tell anything.

The best is this....Dragon......read further down on your link.
Of course you didnt, you found the biased message you needed to fill what you receive to be the situation:

What additional costs are created by the uninsured population?

The United States spends nearly $100 billion per year to provide uninsured residents with health services, often for preventable diseases or diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with earlier diagnosis.14
Hospitals provide about $34 billion worth of uncompensated care a year.14
Another $37 billion is paid by private and public payers for health services for the uninsured and $26 billion is paid out-of-pocket by those who lack coverage.14
The uninsured are 30 to 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized for an avoidable condition, with the average cost of an avoidable hospital stayed estimated to be about $3,300.14
The increasing reliance of the uninsured on the emergency department has serious economic implications, since the cost of treating patients is higher in the emergency department than in other outpatient clinics and medical practices.11
A new study found that 29 percent of people who had health insurance were

USA is the only advanced industrialised country in the world without a universal health care system.

Its no surprise that the uninsured/underinsured are a drain on the emergency services, since they tend to avoid treatmnet at an early stage through fear of medical bills.

The USA system is also highly inefficient with over a thousand healthcare providers and an estimated 15-20% of costs going to administration.

The Uk NHS system includes free primary care for all, nobody needs to put off going to the docotors through fear of cost.

Justinian- im not disagreeing with you, I already said the USA healthcare system is inefficient.

"
The United States spends nearly $100 billion per year to provide uninsured residents with health services, often for preventable diseases or diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with earlier diagnosis.14"

Do you understand that it is not the money you spend? But how you spend? If you have seen Sicko, you will see that a men had to choose from one finger over another because he had no money or insurance.. how is that possible?

[RPA]Sir SupAll
Ehh, nobody should ever have to make such a choise...

Don't remember if it was the doc or the insurence company (think it was the 2nd though).