I do hope some American members here, read and take note of this post. I was berated last night by someone for having the temerity to criticise and comment on a post regarding the high costs incurred in the USA healthcare system...purely because I am British. It was a post which she herself decided to put up, because she thought the costs were too high, but apparently it was ok for only US citizens to agree, but not for me, a UK citizen (a foreigner) to sympathise and add my views on the obscenity of health being subject to market forces in the USA. I am not proud of everything that Britain stands for, and indeed I am very critical of our inglorious colonial past, but there is one thing that we stand head and shoulders above most other countries in...and that is our magnificent NHS. Yes, we sometimes have to wait for routine procedures...but if we have anything critical or requiring immediate admission to hospital it is there, and FREE at the point of need...and with no questions asked. We pay through our taxation when we are of working age and it is taken from our earnings at source, so even though I myself have rarely had to use the NHS, and now I’m retired, no longer have to pay National Insurance, I have the security of knowing that should I need it, it will be there for me until the day I die. I salute the Labour government who introduced it into the U.K. in 1947, and give thanks that I will never have the worry of whether or not I will be covered by my insurance should I ever fall ill.

I know when I was diagnosed with leukemia, I was totally stressed out about not being able to afford to pay for treatment. So, yeah, the bills are more stressful than the cancer. (I have been cancer free for over 6 years now).

looking for someone to explain how "for profit" healthcare is cheaper then "not for profit" healthcare. It is why Americans pay more for healthcare and medicine then the people of any other developed country.

I have made career decisions my whole working life based on making sure that I had adequate health care insurance. Both of my children were asthmatic and I am glad for that reason of my decision. It also provides me with peace of mind that I will have access to that same quality health care without fear of bankruptcy.

I often wanted to work in a more creative environment that did not support the military industrial complex. I never took that chance.

If it weren’t for the VA I might be living in a tent right now, or more likely, be dead.

Something has to be done. Quit playing political games and act.

Leading cause of bankruptcy in the USA is overwhelming medical debt. Get sick. Lose Everything.