I miss the NHS every day – Trump is wrong to demonise British healthcare | Arwa Mahdawi

Even in crisis, the NHS is vastly superior to the US’s inefficient, unfair system. Why aren’t Americans out on the streets marching for something like it?

What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery? For Donald Savastano, a 51-year-old carpenter who won $1m in the New York lottery a few weeks ago, it was to go to the doctor. Savastano had been feeling ill for ages but, as he didn’t have health insurance, he hadn’t been able to afford a doctor’s appointment. Following his win, however, he could splurge on luxuries such as healthcare! So, Savastano went for a check-up. It turned out he had stage four cancer and he died shortly after.

If there is a moral to this bleak story it is that the US health “care” system is morally bankrupt. There are 28 million uninsured people in the US. It is one of the richest countries in the world and yet a significant proportion of its population cannot afford access to basic health services; even Americans with health insurance are crippled by the costs of medical coverage.

Continue reading... February 06, 2018 at 07:09PM