Comments on: Don’t panic, America, it really can work. I am with the British NHS on this

By: Claudio

Claudio — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:05:26 +0000

@ Decker

I'm not sure whether healthcare is either a right or a privilege. It is more active (and less passive) than that. It's something to which we have to commit, financially and in other ways.

It's not an endless resource, so we must use it carefully, but the major factor is that we must use it fairly. How do we define fairly? That's a whole new debate.

By: WolfieWolfgang

WolfieWolfgang — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:19:26 +0000

Thanks Sally. Yes I think it is quite a reassuring thing about the old UK that the NHS seems to have the support of all sides of the community.

Good to see you commenting on here. Welcome.

By: Sally

Sally — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:30:45 +0000

Good article Wolfie! Interesting to read your experience of the American system. I am not sure how long the NHS can last but I hope it does for as long as possible as it says something good about our values as a nation.

By: WolfieWolfgang

WolfieWolfgang — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:26:11 +0000

It is quite surprizing how many people seem to think it is a privilege.

By: Decker

Decker — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:07:32 +0000

In my opinion it can be summed up simply.

Is health car a right? or is it a privilege?

By: WolfieWolfgang

WolfieWolfgang — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:51:45 +0000

I am such a fool Claudio but thanks to you the scales have just fallen from my eyes.

Pity though that I'll be getting weeded out!

By: Claudio

Claudio — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:32:26 +0000

I'm sorry Wolfie, but you've got it all wrong on this.

Paid-for-at-the-point-of-delivery healthcare is a form of natural selection. It weeds out the poor and the unhealthy. If we can get some far-sighted Government to introduce paid-for-at-the-point-of-delivery healthcare, we would soon end up with a nation of rich people. It would be great.

And if we increase the costs, so that only the super-rich can afford it, we will end up with an nation of the super-rich, happy and healthy. How can you not see that as progress?