[MD] The Moral Landscape

[Horse]

  Sorry Mark, I didn't answer this one.
While there are shortcomings with the NHS, as with any nationwide health 
system in any country, it is a system that very few would be without. It 
is part of a National Insurance scheme and there's the clue. National 
Insurance. Everybody (more or less) pays into it and everybody benefits 
at some point in their life. It also doesn't preclude the taking out of 
private insurance if and when you can afford it, although many don't as 
they are are either quite happy with the NHS system. Personally I have 
private dental insurance which I opted for when my dentist decided to go 
private. NHS was available elsewhere but he's so good I opted to remain. 
My choice. And it costs a huge 11 quid a month for which I receive 
excellent basic treatment.
The main point in my reply though was the idea that there is some sort 
of committee that decides on on the value of someone's life and applies 
that to their continuing treatment. Something similar may be in place 
within the private sector based on the level of insurance taken out and 
the financial commitment involved but within the public sector people 
are, in general, just treated according to the requirements necessary 
due to their illness. However, given that there are not infinite 
financial and medical resources available there will come a point when 
further treatment is impractical. In general though this is based on 
quality of life and not merely upon what the patient can afford.
Overall, a very fair system and one I would hope the U.S. opts for.

Horse





As far as I'm aware, and having been on the receiving end of treatment 
over the years, my opinion of the NHS is that it is a service no-one in 
this country (or very few) would be without,


On 21/10/2010 04:21, 118 wrote:
> Hi Horse,
> I suppose you would be more in tune with this than I, I left England 20
> years ago and did use the NHS while I was there. But all I have are stories
> told to me over the last year.   I do have a lot of friends in England who
> opt for private insurance because of fears on their part.  My understanding
> from them is that, being old, they are concerned about the scarcity of
> funded healthcare in England which has resulted in guidelines for providing
> medication based on age.  Perhaps they have over exaggerated the situation
> but they have suggested to me, when asked, that getting a nationalized
> healthcare in the US is the wrong decision.
>
> If I have misspoken I stand corrected.
>
> Mark
>
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 7:49 PM, Horse<horse at darkstar.uk.net>  wrote:
>
>>   Hi Mark
>>
>>
>> On 21/10/2010 01:26, 118 wrote:
>>
>>> For example the value of life will soon be measured (as it is in England)
>>> to determine
>>> whether you should live or die.
>>>
>> Really? How does that work then?
>>
>> Horse
>>
>> --
>>
>> "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
>> deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
>> — Frank Zappa
>>
>> Moq_Discuss mailing list
>> Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc.
>> http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org
>> Archives:
>> http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/
>> http://moq.org/md/archives.html
>>
> Moq_Discuss mailing list
> Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc.
> http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org
> Archives:
> http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/
> http://moq.org/md/archives.html
>

-- 

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
— Frank Zappa