The debate about health care in the United States has been raging for years and will probably continue to rage for years to come. People across the country, from the girl next door to a politician of the highest office all have differing opinions on what would be best for our country. No matter what you think of the current system and its pros and cons, it is important examine the way things are done elsewhere in the world. The United States may be one of the world’s biggest superpowers, but is our health care system the best way to do things? Let’s look at other capitalism economies around the world and how their health care systems function.

Health Care in the United Kingdom

photo credit: Sar-ah Bear-ah

The UK spends about 8.3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on health care for its citizens. Families there do not pay any kind of premium for health insurance; it is all funded by taxation. Most of the time there is no-copay for patients, but occasionally one will pop up for dental care, eyeglasses and 5% of prescriptions. The young and elderly are exempt from co-pays of any kind.

The system in the UK can be deemed socialized medicine, meaning that the government both provides and pays for health care. Citizens living in the UK pay taxes in order to make this happen, and the HNS (National Health Service) distributes those funds to health care providers. General practitioners who run their own private practices are paid based on how many patients they see, while hospital doctors are paid salaries. There are a small number of specialists who operate outside the NHS and they see privately paying patients.

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