Why I {heart} the UK's NHS

I'm in London right now, doing a bunch of speaking at the Online Information show. On Monday, I was stepping down from the speaking platform and I managed to fall and twist my foot. Three hours later, after I finished the workshop, the medical folks looked at the egg-shaped lump on my foot and sent me to the emergency room to have it x-rayed. I was in and out in under two hours, having seen a doctor and gotten two x-rays, and the total cost I incurred was cab fare there and back. In the  US, there's no way they would even see me without first making sure I had adequate insurance or a healthy credit card, and my co-pay would have easily been several hundred dollars.

As always, no one here can understand why, in the US, we tie health insurance to an employer. We don't do that for any other kind of insurance, and IMVHO it's not something that an employer should be providing (or not providing, or providing only a crappy option). 

12/9/07 update:

Ah, now I appreciate my sprained foot. I had to request a wheelchair to get through airports on the way home and I managed to get off the plane, through Customs and Immigration and into the United Red Carpet lounge in 30 minutes flat.

Comments

[N]

Ellen --

I hope the ankle is on the mend now.

Just a quick quibble. Healthcare isn't free anywhere. With a 50% tax rate for many citizens, it's pretty darn expensive in the UK. It is also pretty expensive when the bureaucrats are the ones who debate if your mum is really chemo-worthy at 63 and all....
Glad I live where I can decide on coverage and get treated when I decide I need it.

[Reva]

I'm just now catching up on my blog subs. Ow ow ow! I hope your foot is totally better at this point, mebs.

Point well-taken about the weirdness of health care linked to employment in this country. My coverage is courtesy of my retiree spouse's former employer and, considering that company's shaky state, I'm not exactly confident...

[Mary Ellen Bates]

I know that suing would be the American thing to do, but that wouldn't help heal my foot. I'm afraid I'm just not litigious enough. :-)

[Andrew -Rogers]

Are you going to sue the venue and the organiser and the step manufacturers? That's the other difference between the US and the UK of course. :-)

Hope you are on the mend.

Thanks for the presentation. Very useful.

[Anne Caputo]

Ohmygod.....glad you are ok ! Hope we can get you around in DC without undue stress on your ankle.