Obamacare hits home ~

 Hey Kirmy!  I know everything is covered over there, so why are people buying supplemental insurance?  It doesn't make sense to me that anyone would need to purchase additional health insurance.

Cosmetic and cosmetic dentistry are not covered.  Basic dentistry is and some therapeutic cosmetic procedures.  Also if you want to over ride a medical opinion and go your own way you can.i.e. my friends Dad needs a hip replacement.  These only last ten years before they need replaced.  He still has pretty good functional movement and is refusing to wait until his joint is getting compromised before replacing it.  He has chosen to go private.  Fine!  Except that by the time he is 82 years old he will need this replaced and his health may not be conducive to doing this.  It is risky.  If he waits until the joint NEEDS replacing he will still be fit enough to get the maximum benefit out of the prosthesis, and he'll recover well from surgery.

I had to go private for my DS because the NHS doesn't offer the DS where I live (remote rural Scottish Highlands).  I didn't want to wait the year for progression through panel and reviews to qualify, indeed due to my healthiness there was little chance I'd qualify!  The NHS is slowly getting better with bariatrics but sadly it is many years behind the US in what it offers.  There are several programs that are now working through London and Glasgow and Anerdeen making in-roads but it is still lagging behind.

Here is the crux of it.  The NHS won't do unecessay surgery period.  It means that theater slots that could be used for major surgery is being used for non-life threatening events.

There is a choice to use the NHS and also have private cover if you want to pay for it.  One doesn't cancel out the other....but it isn't the same as what you use in the States. 

I have no problem with that!    So to answer your question no one needs to purchase additional insurance, but they can choose to if it meet thier needs.

 But the people who are affluent enough to pay for private insurance, doesn't that give them an unfair advantage over those who can can only afford to pay the government for their healthcare? Wasn't that what the government was trying to get away from?  Could one opt out of the gov care and pay a private insurance company to cover themselves to guarantee better coverage, better doctors, faster care?  Or is it illegal to do so?

Hmmmm you are making it sound like the government has a Socialist political agenda here.  The Government doesn't care if you have private heath insurance or not!  It is a free market economy like the USA only difference is that we feel private business has NO business handling domestic health care. 

You can't opt out of National Insurance.  After WW2 when so many UK citizens were injured by the London bombings and so many returning soldiers needed help and care it was agreed nationally that the country would always support its people by giving care.  That is the altruistic guiding principal of the NHS and I for one and terribly grateful that people had the foresight back then to look after the most vulnerable.

The NHS isn't like the USA health care model.  You'll only get a CT scan if your symptoms warrant it, diagnostics are done based on physical assessment, history taking genetic markers etc.  A CAT scan is as rare as hens teeth and yet we have on average a higher level of health care, less malpractice suits and treat a larger demographic.  Perhaps it is worth looking deeper at the NHS then believing the scare mongering that seems to be white washed all over the place in the USA. 

Personally every year we get at least 5-8 Americans that have injured themselves on Ben Nevis or rafter etc and without fail everyone of them have sung our praises from the roof tops. It can't be as bad as the bad press is making out!

Why don't you come and visit me?  I am a Nurse Practitioner in a Rural General Hospital.  I'd be happy to show you everything we do and how we do it.

Encourage your friend to do more research. Joint replacements are now lasting 25-30 years. He shouldn't settle for a 10 year model.

Really?

My DH and a girlfriend and I all go to the same Knee guru.  All he does is knees.  Baby Doctors from all over the planet come to do fellowships with him...he's supposed to be a real expert on this stuff...and he says 10-15 on knees...and only one "second chance."

What new info do you have?  (Not challenging, really interested...I've been on Synvisc for several years.  It's still great, but I lkie to plan ahead.)

There is the new Depuy  knee with rotating base. It is much advanced and is having better results than the old knee surgeries. They are said to be lasting 10-15 yrs or more depending on the patient and a how well they rehab. I have used up my Synvisc treatments, and the last sesson was pure pain. Will be getting a new Depuy knee by the end of the month. Then I will be able to walk properly again ! Anxious to get it over with. I want to get back to my old physical activities that I have not been able to do for a few yrs ! 

Thanks, I'll look into it.

I'm not where I need anything now...and the Synvisc seems to last for 18 months or so at a time...so I'm hoping I can go on for quite a while longer.

WOW, Synvisc never lasted me 18 months ! You are fortunate. I first hurt the knee in 1999 with a bad meniscal tear plus that was pre WLS. Took a long time to heal after surgery. Have had 2 other arthscopic surgeries on same knee with Synvisc post to help with it. After flat xray this time ortho did not even order an MRI. He said I think you know as well I know it is time for a new knee. Music to my ears in some ways, but another surgery added to the long list. This ortho is best in the are does amazing work. I will let you know how it goes.

Check out Dr. Eugene Krause in New York. His procedure starts with an MRI of the ankle, knee, and hip. Technology comes into play next when the ankle and hip are used to determine correct placement and size of the titanium joint replacement. By the time you're in the OR, the custom made joint replacement is there. Of course, the surgeon has the ability to refine it if needed. This surgeon performs the most knee replacements in the U.S. and has a zero % infection rate.