John, your NHS is much better than our Medicare/Medicaid. What poor/unemployed/elderly/over 65/etc, persons do here is basically do without medical care at all. The gov't plan (Medicare) is so limitied as to be almost a No Pay option. There is this thing called Medicare Assignment...

If your chosen Dr. chooses NOT to accept assingnment for Medicare, that is his/her privilige and you are responsible for 100% of the bill.......if he does choose to accept "assignment" you are only responsible for 20% of the approved Medicare bill..........Medicare arbitrarily sets the "approved" amount.

After age 65, our Federal Medicare is NOT an option.....it's a mandated program. Private health insurance drops us at age 65 and sends us to "Medicare" so we have to get a "Medicare Supplement" policy. Especially since the Federal Medicare policy pays NOTHING for any drugs whatso ever.

In Hospital policies are also a real mess with Federal Medicare.....you have to request "Pre Approval" for anything, basically including real emergencies......

I am NOT looing forward to being a Medicare Patient....only 15 more years.

"Medicaid" for the low income is worse.......if ever an "inheritee" of a Medicaid patient comes into any money AT ALL, then the Medicaid program can ask for all medical payments to re-paid to the program.......even unto the 2nd generation. I kid you not.