Recently, there has been a lot of public discussion in the US about the need for a more

socialized medical system. One example of such a system that many politicians point to looking
for arguments both in favor and against this type of medical care is the British NHS, but is it as
bad as some make it seem? Or is it the opposite, a definitive solution for America’s issues?

Firstly, we should address some of the arguments against the NHS, mainly it’s financing
through taxes. The prospect of a tax hike seems daunting for citizens that live paycheck to
paycheck, but the reality is that they already pay more taxes than Britain for similar but
inferior aid. Medicare and Medicare cost the average American taxpayer significantly more
than the NHS does to British workers.

Another point of contention is the dreaded waiting lists, where, in case of a possible problem,
an ill person will have to wait from a couple of weeks to a month to see a specialist and begin
treatment. This is, without a doubt, the NHS’ greatest problem, but in case of a truly life-
threatening situation, it is not the only option, since patients who feel like they need an
immediate checkup can still go private and get it, albeit for a price similar to that of the US.

Finally, there is also the idea that having to go through a general practitioner or GP before
having to see an specialist means that NHS GPs are somehow less prepared than private
specialists you can see immediately, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Some GPs in the
UK also offer private services and all of them have to go through a similar medical training that
a US family doctor goes through.

Ultimately, the greatest point in favor of the NHS is the price. There are too many stories in the
US of families that had to go bankrupt or turn to crowdfunding in order to pay for the
treatment of long or chronic illnesses like cancer, not to mention the exorbitant prices of some
medicaments. In the UK, emergency treatment, which includes childbirth, is free for all those
who contribute to the system through their taxes, and prescriptions have a single, universal
price of between 8 and 9 pounds, no matter the type of treatment prescribed. That sense of
tranquility, of not having to live with the worry that one day an unexpected disease could turn
your life upside-down is, in my opinion, well worth the waiting lines and taxes.