[Gareth]

As an Accringtonian in California who deals with the US healthcare system on a daily basis, I can sum it up as thus.

If you have a job, with health benefits, you are pretty well set. (Although the quotes that people have been getting assume that you don't pay any more money). Most plans have additional fees (either flat or a percentage) which are paid at the point of service.

If you have a job that doesnt offer health benefits, you are screwed. Healthcare costs are spiraling out of control. Companies are struggling to deal with it, and individuals are not being able to cope. Typically, they are increasing at 25% per year, due in large part to satisfy the needs of shareholders of insurance companies, and lawsuit friendly nature of the US. 83% of US healthcare spending is on non-patient related care.

Medicare isn't, as Councillor Jones said, a cover all system. It only provides for people over the age of 65. There are other state programs which offer means tested health benefits, but you would have to have almost zero income to qualify for almost all of these. With the budgetary issues that we have been having, most of these programs are being cut significantly. A perfect example last week was my wife's 97 year old grandmother being told that her cardiologist didnt want to see her any more because he wasn't getting enough money from the state. He talked her into signing up for spending an additional $97 a month so he could continue to see her by signing up with the insurance company rep that was hanging out in his waiting room.

IF you make a modest income, then there is almost no government help for you, and if you get sick or hurt in a car accident, or break your leg playing football, you can be financially ruined for life. My sister in law recently quit her job as she is pregnant, because she couldn't afford to pay for her stay in hospital to have her baby. By quitting she qualifies for a modicum of support from the government. That being said she still is on the hook for $500 per day for each day she, or her baby, is in hospital. God forbid it has a problem and stays there for a month, and run up $15,000 of medical bills.

I am lucky, I get bulletproof healthcare through my wife's chosen career, but medical debt is responsible for more personal bankruptcies in California than everything else put together. I LONG for the days of the NHS, at least as I remember it. I have been back home and been treated (the latest time at christmas this year) and I couldn't have asked for anything better. I understand personal experience may be different, but its just my opinion.