[bbc.com]
"..... in the UK, the vast majority of women opt for free care under the tax payer-funded NHS.
Americans are far more likely to rely on private insurance to fund their healthcare. However, many millions don't have health insurance, according to the US Census Bureau. In 2013, research in California found women in the state could be charged anything between $3,296 (£2,501) and $37,227 (£28,254) for an uncomplicated, natural birth.
Charges for a caesarean section ranged from $8,312 (£6,315) to $70,908 (£53,817), the study published in the BMJ Open found."
I am PROUD to not only to have been cared for by the NHS but also to be employed it for my most of my working life. They trained me to be a nurse, encouraged my education towards a nurse specialist and onto my role teaching new nurses coming forward. We are beyond fortunate and we should continue to fight for this tooth and nail. We built it, we own it, we work for it. Its the British people's modern day Stonehenge!
.... and the model that many other European nations copied.
I say “thank you” to our NHS every time I read about health provision in the USA. Our Statutory Maternity Leave is also extremely generous compared to the USA, I wasn’t actually aware of that. I myself had two C.Section births on the NHS in 1977 and 1980, and know nobody who has had a private birth...it’s extremely rare, confined mainly to wealthy foreigners and royalty.
A lesser member of the royal family was visiting Mojacar, and took rather seriously ill and was rushed to hospital a few miles down the road. As she recovered, in her large private room, with toilet and shower en suite, she remarked to her friends on what a lovely, private hospital they had found for her.
"Oh no!" They replied. "This is the local public health hospital." It's free!
An entire floor of that hospital is dedicated to "normal" maternity. Special cases have a separate section.
The way I understand it, the bills are either unpaid or paid by charities. I think the difference between the American method and say the NHS is that the former does not offer medical assistance as a legal right. One way or another the job gets done so I think the issue is more a matter of principle.