I am British, but I Live in Spain, the British health system is in tatters, although i am very greatful to it, it saved my father from bowel cancer when he was 39, it saved my sister from breast cancer when she was 22 and again when she was 25, I had a serious motorcyle accident, i had 27 operations, 19 months in an Ilizarov frame, noen of this cost me a penny, only in my taxes. On the other hand, try getting a Doctors appointment when something not so serious is wrong, Try getting them to get to the root of a problem, all you seem to get is fobbed off, and you know that it would be so different if you were waving a bunch of 50 pound notes in front of them, and telling them they cant have it until they have sorted out the problem. the beauracacy in the N.H.S is ridiculous, it wastes millions of pounds of hard earned taxpayers money every year, this never seems to be curtailed, just more money thrown into it, so that the government of the day can say that they have spent X amount on health, no one minds spending more on health, but not when its just being wasted. its a health service free for all, not a political tool.
Anyway, i also have experience of the U.S health system, i was visiting the U.S a few years ago, when i got a nasty ear infection, i went to the Pharmacy to see if they could help, they said i had to go to the Doctor, so off i went to a medical center down the road, after i had been weighed, blood pressure, urine sample blood sample, tissue type, given a full rundown on my tonsilectomy i had had when i was 5 years old, i was given a prescription for some ear drops and some antibiotics, i was also given a bill for $130. Off i went to the Walmart pharmacy,,,,,$140 for my prescription, i nearly dropped through the floor. My Ear infection cost me $270, i checked with my insurance and guess what,,, i was covered, but with a $100 charge for each part i.e doctor and pharmacy, so i could have filled out a billion forms and got $70 back.
When i first got to Spain, i suffered another ear infection, "its the swimming pools", i went to the pharmacy, she happily sold me the eardrops over the counter and it cost me €3.50, i was better within a few hours....
So my assesment is this, the problem with the British system is that it doesnt embrace the private sector, the problem with the U.S is that it doesnt embrace a public system, the central european systems have healthcare for all, free at the point of use, because both private and public work together, that has to be the way forward, in this world we live in today, in any civilised country, healthcare should be a right, not a privilige. and you should get the same treatment if your homeless on the street or a multi millionaire.

I´ll get off my soap box now