Sicko - Chilling Excerpt by Tony Benn

The best PM the UK never had.

You are wrong twice. He give up his title to enter the House of Commons pluse he uses the NHS. Get your facts right!

well said

Believe me, you folks in England don't want the kind of health system we have in the U.S. For-profit medicine sucks. I am lucky I have health insurance through my employer and even with that I have to shell out $50 for prescriptions, $20 for a doctor visit. If I go to the ER, I have to pay for the first $1000. That's called a deductible. If my bill comes to $900, I have to pay it all. If it comes to $5000, I have to pay the first $1000. It is expensive even if you have insurance.

Its shocking that you have to stump up extra money for hospital/doctor visits. We pay national insurance in the uk its a LOT cheaper than private, and everything is included. It never runs out no matter how much treatment you need. free screenings are available for any illness, and especially quick if you have a family history. I hope you get healthcare for all, those with money can still choose to go private, in the UK its common for the NHS to have to put right previous botched private ops

Thanks. I hope we get it too. A majority of us want it. But the Republicans want to privatize everything and the Democrats want a "public option" that is inadequate for everyone but the pharmaceutical and insurance companies. 3rd party people like Nader and McKinney and progressive Democrats like Kucinich, all of whom are for universal single-payer, get shut out by the corporate media.

There's the crux of the problem. You're only thinking of yourself. Come to the States for a year my friend. I bet you'll be running back to the UK if you experience our for-profit system for yourself.

@cadfog
Big Pharma, I watched a documentary about pharmaceutical companies in the US and I largely agree with you. They are sly and conniving, but they're still, to me anyway, infinitely preferable to governments.

All the gov't does is pay for healthcare and regulate it, to make sure people aren't overcharged. Gov't doesn't tell people how they are cared for. The gov't doesn't come between doctors and patients under universal single-payer. It just pays for it, and makes sure everything's fair and equal. It works in Norway, Sweden, Cuba, Canada, Venezeula. Everywhere USP is enacted, it works and a majority of the people wouldn't change it. The free market enables Big Pharma's corruption.

No, YOU as an individual don't have a duty. SOCIETY has a responsibility. It is thoroughly indecent for some people to have healthcare and for others to have none. What results are so many societal problems. Do you want the crime rate to go up? How can people work when they are ill and can't afford treatment?