Health Care: Why US does not have an UK type NHS ? (A question asked on Quora - I praphrase. The following is the answer I put forth)
The history of the origins of the UK NHS is worth reading. I believe that antes 1945, there was a night and day difference between the care a few people received v that received by the vast majority. The NHS reportedly was excellent for the first 35–40 years. Then, it started to fall off the wagon. My personal experience with any enterprise (eg medicine) is that those who are professionally trained in medicine should lead the health care delivery. Patients do not come to seek advice from Administrators and Business Managers. The latter two are important but usually mess up the system when placed in charge. For obvious reasons, human beings and numbers are on different wavelengths. Any attempt at confusing the two necessarily destroys Patient Physician relationship and leads to a myriad of problems. Also worth lookin are the relative costs of hospitals top heavy with administrators. The US has excellent health care facilities. However, for many reasons including fear of malpractice lawsuits, the demand for cutting edge imaging et al technology and the huge margins in prescription medications, health care has become very expensive. The possible solution is (1) To provide reasonable quality of health care (like that still being provided in many European countries) to those who are unable to afford the exorbitant health insurance premiums, deductible, copays and other restrictions that Insurance companies impose on clients. They, by their very nature, are in the business of making money. They will make it one way or another. And when they are unable to do that, they will leave the market and leave their former clients to fend for themselves. (2) To negotiate bulk prices for prescription medications (3) Look at the New Zealand ‘no fault’ malpractice compensation system. Sure, the trial lawyers will jump up and down BUT, they will get used to it, like they did in New Zealand. Those patients who wish to see their personal physician ( or dine at a 5 star place ) should have the freedom to do so. Talking about dining options, the solution to so many folks going hungry at night, is not to force ALL restaurants to convert to fast food joints under administrators with No experience in the culinary field, with ‘food insurance’ or even a single payer. Is it ?
