I weep for you all - Page 3

katytibbs · 05-06-2008, 10:24:23 AM

Originally Posted by billig

The high price of groceries is the reason they have government provided healthcare. And it ain't "free". Rationed healthcare is NEVER as good as ours. I'm not saying it's not clean, everything in europe is just as professional as it is here, but there's waiting lists for certain surgeries. They wouldn't call it waiting lists..it would be "the next available" appointment for that type of surgery would be further out in the future than here.
I'd rather take our stupid defunct system than have to wait for a surgery that's 'free'.

In the US we have choice, others don't. Choice is expensive, but it doesn't always provide better outcomes. The argument for rationed healthcare focuses on the high mortaility rate in the US: that in the US we have a lower life expectancy than many countries with rationed healthcare. But one analysis I read blamed the high US mortality rate on two behaviors that us US citizens have that increase mortiality - higher rates of teenage pregnancy (which means lower birth weight babies, which leads to increased death rate for the babies) and overeating (leading to obesity, with higher rates of heart disease and diabetes). Supposedly, when you take out those two factors, the death rates in the US are not higher than socialized medicine countries.

So, I agree, I like choice, but I do think something needs to be done about the high cost of health care in the country. I wish I had a solution that would work, but I think that we are likely to end up with some form of socialized medicine in the future.

dasher27 · 06-02-2008, 06:37:29 PM

I'm a bit confused how a thread started to commiserate with us poor Brits for our expensive shopping has turned into a 'slag off the NHS' thread.

We DO have choice regarding healthcare in the UK - if you want to fork out the money you can 'go private' and jump the queues and/or get better care, but you can also choose to not pay. And if you are in some horrible accident you just get taken to the nearest A&E and given care without being asked for any payment. It will be strange when we move to the US to have to pay for medical insurance every month, though luckily DH's work will be forking out for half of it.

Re grocery prices, yes we do pay a lot in the UK, and of course a lot more for petrol. I look forward to cheap groceries over in Texas in a month or two

Sioned · 06-03-2008, 05:52:28 PM

[ I look forward to cheap groceries over in Texas in a month or two

[/quote]
Good luck with your move from a fellow ex-pat. You will find plenty of great advice on shopping deals on these boards. At least if you have a CVS in your area, you will never again have to pay for aspirin or paracetamol etc, etc,etc

beckymik · 06-17-2008, 08:46:35 PM

I hear an interview this morning from the UK. He said they are paying an avg of 10 dollars a gallon for gas!!! Then on top of that they pay tolls to and from work!

dasher27 · 06-18-2008, 07:26:39 AM

Oh yes indeed! I have a medium sized estate car (station wagon I think you call it?) and it now costs me just over $100 to fill up the tank from empty. I'm trying to walk to the shops if I can

Heatherlst · 07-12-2008, 12:08:51 AM

My MIL and BIL are still in Norwich so we visit every year or so. Last year we had a VW Passat diesel, and it cost us $80 to fill up!! We were very careful with our mileage. Unfortunately, they live in a tiny village far from everything--it was a 30 minute drive to everything.

Comparing the two just isn't fair. The system over there has its pluses, and its minuses. I love the way they value families and in-home care. They eat fresher and healthier foods than we do. Their homes are smaller and less crammed with clutter and junk. If they're sick, they go to a doctor. No worries over bills. But their minimum wage is scandalous, they get into a twitter nationally over the craziest things (gossip is a national pastime. Sorry, dh is a brit too, and we laugh over what passes for 'scandal' over there.) and its just darned cold and wet much of the year. I've also heard before from family there that there just aren't as many opportunities for kids growing up as there are over here. (meaning--the ability to dream big and become anything they want to be.) I love shopping outdoors, I crave sausage rolls and pork pies all the time. I love how they walk so many places, how much of their energy is from wind, and how down to earth the people are. And tea. I love having tea five times a day! I love the pubs and just listening to the people talk. Certain parts of the country its like listening to singing, its so melodic. Like any place, it has its good and its bad.

lensperson · 07-18-2008, 11:51:16 AM

I can remember moving into a stone cottage across the bay from Tobermory,

Scotland
At night the sight of electrical power lighting lamps just across the bay made one think...what if electricity was available from a wallplug...eventually it came true

dasher27 · 07-19-2008, 11:21:09 AM

Quote .what if electricity was available from a wallplug.

Yes but at least British electricity comes out of the wallplugs at 240 volts instead of your puny 110 volts

It's a right pain not being able to ship over any electrical stuff as it won't work, not enough voltage.

I prefer the wall sockets with switches too, don't like the way you just plug things straight in with no cut-off here.