Not to mention the economic benefits of having a healthy workforce.
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It’s not all about you though. The whole point is people who can afford to paying into the system to allow those who can’t afford to have access to healthcare.
Whilst you might not use it yourself, do you not feel that paying into the NHS for those that can’t afford private treatment (lets take children as an example) is worthwhile as part of a civilised society?
Think you both missed the point. I have no problem paying tax and thus funding the NHS for those who can’t afford it. I do have a problem with having to pay more on top of that.
You can get private health care for children…
That’s if the NHS worked. It doesn’t have enough money. @anon66544660 is talking about paying £400 for the NHS but the reality is that number likely needs doubled, for everyone.
I’d be surprised if their private health insurance was much more at all than what their paying for the NHS, and considering how much more money the NHS needs, private health care right now wins out.
The problem of course is you are forced to pay for the NHS, so if you get private health insurance your doubling how much your paying as you can’t opt out.
Nobody said you couldn’t. Are you implying that you should only get pregnant if you can fund 100% of all child costs including healthcare, and taking nothing from the state?
Don’t assume you’ll never use the NHS. If you have an accident, the private sector won’t look after you. If the private sector botches a procedure, or if there are complications following a procedure, you’ll likely end up in an NHS hospital.
I don’t know why there’s a ‘more on top of that’ for you, though.
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I don’t know why there’s a ‘more on top of that’ for you, though.
Exactly. 
I’m not sure what your on about? Where did that come from?
I’m saying the NHS is a crippled, ineffective mess unable to cope because it needs far more money that it currently has.
And if you do your private health insurance will pay you for every night you’re in an NHS hospital for the inconvenience.
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Just want to clear this up as it’s got a bit confusing. Are you saying because you don’t think the NHS is good enough (and is underfunded), you would rather the people that couldn’t afford private healthcare should get none at all, instead of the service you deem not good enough for yourself?
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I was kind of hoping you might explain. Most people don’t pay more on top of taxes. 
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Ok, I understand now.
Even so, you are a student who is paying 20k in tax?
No, where did you get that from?
Your profile - ‘Third year Cambridge mathematician’
Ah, I was one till about 3 weeks ago. I’m a full time employee now. Edited 
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Guys… you do realise healthcare systems exist outside of the USA and the UK? There are options other than “pay all your money to the government for something that’s still pretty bad or all the poor children die”.
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Makes more sense now.
To be honest I wasn’t aware that there were surcharges for things like that, as I have never had cause to research it.
No sorry not at all. I think for one, that to continue our system as it currently stands we likely need to up everyone’s tax to double the funding in the NHS, not sure how anyone’s going to get that to pass, it’s a large sum of money.
What I think probably needs to happen is likely a fairy drastic change to our health care system. People should be able to get health care whether they have the money or not, but our current system is just a crumbling mess, you don’t have to look far to see the problems.
I don’t know what a good option is, a better mix of private and public health care, a more Japanese like system… but what I know right now is that the nhs is chasing critical illnesses at the cost of all other health problems because they simply can’t cope.
My body is slowly destroying its self while I wait for the NHS for example. But because the time frame is quite long to kill me they’ll wait let my body damage it’s self over time until they have a free slot to see me as they have to prioritise the people who are going to die next week without treatment.
Simply it’s a mess. And one of my points is that I could pay for private health care which would be about the same price as the NHS and I’d get better treatment. It’s a complete mess.
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I think everyone is aware of that, why would we think there aren’t? I don’t believe the USA system has cropped up other than people mentioning private healthcare which is not exclusive to the USA.
What systems do you think are good that other countries have?
I’d happily swap the NHS for any other first-world system (other than the USA).
Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Belgium, Singapore, you name it.
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Why don’t you pay for private healthcare then? Whether you have private healthcare or not, you’ll still need to pay for a public health service to support all the other people that can’t afford to go private
Rather than doubling tax for everyone, which as you said is not going pass. Those that can afford should/could buy a private healthcare plan, so effectively taxing themselves and getting the healthcare/service they want
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