I've Been Medically Socialized

I experienced "socialized medicine" today. I've been sick for a few days with a cough, a temperature, and occasional barfing. Yesterday, we called NHS Direct. NHS is the National Health Service: the UK's government-provided health care. NHS Direct is a service you can use to get simple advice and help from a nurse. They asked Mama a few questions and then suggested she take me to a doctor the next day. They gave us the names and numbers of a few doctors, all within walking distance of our house. In the meantime, Daddy did some research that seemed to indicate that as a work permit holder, we'd be able to use the NHS without paying out of pocket.

This morning around 8:30, Mama called around. The first doctor's office she called wasn't yet ready to make new appointments for today so they suggested another office. She called the next office and her conversation went something like this:

"Hi. I need to make an appointment for my son." Mama started.
"Can you bring him in at 11:30?"
"Yes."
"What's his name?" asked the lady on the other end.
"Justin Eastman. He's not registered yet."
"You should come in at 11:20 then."
"Okay, great," Mama replied.
"See you then." That was going to be it.
"Wait. Does it matter that we're only here on a work visa?" Mama confessed.
"No."

That was it. Compare that to what it was like when Mama would call doctors' offices in the States. First, what are the chances we'd get an appointment only a few hours from the time we called? (Slim.) Second, the conversation would always include these questions: Who's your insurance provider? What's your policy number? Who's the policy holder? Et cetera. We're just not used to calling a doctor without having the first conversation be about how we're going to pay.

Anyway, we walked into the doctor's office at 11:20. Mama was handed a form to fill out to provide information to register me. If you're like me and Mama, you probably assume it would be a 2-3 page form that would take 30 minutes to complete. Nope. It was about a 5x7 inch card that had these questions:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• A few questions about whether I was having heart problems, breathing problems, broken bones, et cetera.

After Mama filled out the form, we waited for a couple of minutes (compare that to 1-2 hour waits we've had in doctors' offices in the States) and then my name flashed on a screen saying I should go to room 10 where the doctor was waiting. She checked me out, saying "lovely" after each check. She asked Mama some questions, made her diagnosis (I have a virus that will run it's course; no ear infection or anything serious), and prescribed something to help keep my fever under control.

After that, on our way out, Mama checked in with receptionist again.

"Do you need anything from us?" (Kind of like: "This is the point where we usually have a co-payment. Don't I need to pay you?")
"No. That's all," was the reply.

Next, we went in to a pharmacy. Mama handed the prescription to a pharmacist. A few minutes later someone brought us the medicine. Mama held the bag in her hand for a minute, wondering what to say next.

"Do I need to pay anything?"
"No."

Amazing, we all thought. Absolutely amazing. I got health care today and nobody cared a whit about money. It's all taken care of.

Granted, the UK income taxes Daddy pays are what pays for the health care I got today. But here's the kicker: the amount of money UK citizens pay for health care (via income taxes) is less than half of what people in the US pay (via employer health plan contributions, payroll deductions, deductibles, co-payments, et cetera).

When Mama told the whole story to Daddy, all he could say was, "I'm jealous of this country's health care system." Amen to that.

But the US has the best health care in the world, you might be thinking at this point.

My reply: You pay twice what they pay here; you probably wait for hours when you visit a doctor, even when you have an appointment; and one in six of your neighbors doesn't have any health coverage. What's worse: life expectancy is shorter and infant mortality is higher in the US than in practically every other advanced country, including the UK.