There's a lot of scaremongering.
My favourite quote was 'if Stephen Hawkings was British, he'd be dead.'

The NHS is, in my experience, a good organisation. Yes, it has many issues, low budgets and it's beset by meddling politicians, but a system where all healthcare is free is to my socialistically-tilted mind a far more civilised option than medical insurance.

And, what the stories appear to forget, is that there's an extra tier of private medical care in the UK - BUPA. You can elect to go privately and recieve quicker treatment in better facilities if you have the insurance.

But, and here's the key thing, if you don't have the insurance, you're not left to rot.
(Miraclefish How appropriate, you fight like a cow, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 11:52, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

that quote is awesome
not only is he british, but he has actually said that he wouldn't be where he was without the NHS
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 11:55, Reply)

You beat me too it!
Love those stupid republicans.
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 11:57, Reply)

Hurrah!
They also appear to have added an erroneous 's' to his surname.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 12:39, Reply)

AAAAAND
his name is Stephen HAWKING.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 13:08, Reply)

Them's Americans. And Republican, Foxy Americans at that.
We should be glad that all they did was add an 's'.
(Miraclefish How appropriate, you fight like a cow, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 13:12, Reply)

He was actually willing to be quoted denying that
He went on record and to all intents said 'If it wasn't for the NHS I would be dead'
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 11:56, Reply)