1) The first rule of b3ta, don't come on and whinge as a newbie
2) For once, I feel qualified to respond to this rant as a previous user of the NHS, a fully insured Legal Permanent Resident of the USA, and a previously ininsured illegal immigrant.

Right, here we go. The NHS (or socialized medicine as it's also referred to) has it's plus points and bad point. Plus points - the nurses are in it because they actually fucking care. They're rushed off their feet all the time due to lack of funding and lack of staff (due to the lack of funding), but they work for piss poor wages. If they could spend every minute with you they would, but they can't.
NHS dental care is a fucking joke, which is why I've spent over $7K in the last 2 years slowly getting my teeth fixed.

When I was uninsured in America, I had a couple of issues that cost me around $18K, ultimately. I'm still paying those debts off. BUT, the care I received was amazing. Never mind that I was uninsured, I was treated as if I had the best insurance in the world.

When I injured my arm in January (see the Stalker post in my profile), because I'd had like, 3 beers, I was redtagged and not allowed any painkillers, and they put a band on my arm that basically said "alcoholic drug abuser" (never done drugs but I do like a drink, especially when catching a mahoosive fish, hence accident). Because of this, my insurance refused to cover me! $1400 for stitches, $800 for anaesthetic, $1,000 for doctor.

So.....the NHS might make you wait forever, which sucks.
Being insured in America doesn't mean shit.

Oh, and original poster, cock off.
( Batshitmentalist is sane for once, Fri 3 Oct 2008, 15:31, Reply)