And many employed Brits who don’t have private health care would still choose NHS over paying for health insurance. As a young healthy person, I definitely would (though I did have private health insurance through work). No question at all that American healthcare is better than the NHS, but if you’re young and healthy, it’s nice not to have to pay anything for health care and still know you’ll have access to it if needed. I think many employed Americans would choose that if they could |
Yes it is, their private health insurance is pretty limiting. And what they pay OOP for premiums/co pays can’t be compared to PPO premiums because they’re also paying for NHS, which is a massive cost on their salaries. And even with private health insurance they don’t have the same access to specialists and sub specialists as Americans with health insurance do. |
The NHS isn’t any more “free” than our national defense is free. Everyone pays for it and it consumes a huge portion of their national budget with tax rates already higher than ours. There is the direct cost plus the opportunity cost. There are plenty of systems to compare to but NHS just isn’t it. |
Use a payroll calculator to see what the take home pay difference is between the two countries - taking into account state taxes, health insurance etc. You’ll be surprised. |
I agree- Mayfair is the worst place to live. It's a money laundering haven. Richmond is far out but lovely, if you are stuck there for 2 more years. Id pull up stakes and move to Hampstead or Kew or even Wimbledon. no need to go to east London, southlondn is bad enough ![]() |
Don’t be absurd! |
And then you have to add private insurance on top of the British costs. There’s no way to say that you have higher take home pay in Britain, with private insurance, than you do in the US. Especially when you consider corporate taxes put pressure on wages of professionals, making wages lower to begin with in Britain. |
It can feel like that. Even people in London joke about it. -- long time London visitor and former London resident. |
Any Londoner will tell you that there are more visitors and students in London than actual Londoners. |
I mean, I’m a Londoner, all my family and friends still live there and I don’t feel like this. There have always been lots of immigrants and expats, as well as lots of people who moved there from other parts of the UK. That’s just what London is. My neighbourhood in Zone 2 is full of people like me who were born in London. Mayfair.. well, in my lifetime that has never been a place where normal people live! |
There are things that make a difference in life expectancy other than healthcare. Auto accidents, drug overdoses, suicide, etc. make up the difference. US survival rates for health conditions such as cancer are higher (things that actually measure the quality of health care). |
I didn’t like all the cigarette smoking everywhere in London. Couldn’t walk 2 feet outside without smelling it. Twas gross. |
Ok. That’s the most racist thing I’ve seen on here for a while. Which is saying something. |
How many of them will? How many months will they have to wait? Sorry if you all are thrown off by actual data. |
I’m that poster and I have no idea what “Below Deck” is. It’s possible I’m a total dick (unlike the person bragging about their London Dr. with the cappucino machine that I was responding to?), but you’re a raging racist and I’m not, so there is that. |