A slight tangent. You're a UK guy. You have experienced National Health (as I recall, you came here as an adult). We always are hearing about how it sucks. But does it? Can you give an opinion on both systems (crazy or not)?

I do have a very positive view of the NHS. Bear in mind I have not lived there for over 30 years.

I was there for a month in 2022 when my dad was sick. He had been on dialysis for 10 years due to renal failure (not diabetes related). He received excellent care during that entire time and at the end. I believe they did all they could, but 10 years of dialysis takes its toll. His body could not support it any longer. My dad, the family and his doctors all decided to stop dialysis. He was moved to a palliative care ward (coincidentally, the same one my mother was in 37 years before). There he received excellent care until he died. Obviously, there was no discussion of costs and nothing to pay.

At some point in the last 15 years dad had both hips done and one knee. Step mom has had a knee. No medical bills.

If a person is seriously ill the care under the NHS is as good as anywhere. If the complaint is not urgent then it is likely the patient will face longer delays. My sis in law waited months for a CAT scan for intermittent abdominal pain, which turned out to be stress related IBS, as we all suspected. Likely here in the US she would have gotten that scan in a few weeks.

I do think removing the for-profit insurance companies and covering everyone would be a better system, even if we have to put up with waiting lists for non-urgent procedures.