NHS costs

robfosters

robfosters

robfosters

Caporegime
Joined
1 Dec 2010
Posts
53,767
Location
Welling, London
I was in hospital on Thursday night with one of my dodgy heart rhythms. Not too bad now.

But anyway, in the bed next to me was an american who was over here with his wife. He has numerous medical problems including diabetes and a kidney transplant, and was in for a couple of days after falling ill. Over the two days, he had a few tests, some drip fed medicine and then was released when levels of certain whatever's has stabilised.

On the last day, a bloke come round from the NHS trust. The American had no travel insurance, so he was presented with a bill. £1050 for 2 nights :eek:

Does this seem excessive to you?
 
No, not at all 48 hrs of nursing time, doctors time, tests, medication, equipment etc - back home he would be looking at a lot more than that.
 
Not at all, in fact, that's probably cheap compared to the cost in the USA for a US citizen's insurance company.

It doesn't cost that much (over what you'd spend anyway) to keep the patient in for a couple of nights and run basic investigations, but costs like that are calculated more on 'infrastructure per patient' - the total man hours put in by nurses, doctors, management + everything else - stuff that we pay through our tax. Also, the NHS struggles to support people who live in this country as it is.
 
Am I right in thinking that without medical insurance in America he'd have been in the same position if not worse? I don't see why he should receive any form of subsidy on his medical costs because he is in a British hospital. For a two night hospital stay with medication/bed/food/medical attention I don't think that’s too excessive at all.

I dont mean to come across as heartless but that is life I'm afraid.
 
Fenris said:
No, welcome to the actual cost of medical treatment and why we should be far more thankful for the existence of the NHS.
Click to expand...

Exactly this. That's probably a fair price for the cost of treating the guy.

This is why I feel that the NHS is the greatest healthcare system in the world, despite how much we complain about it.
 
Bargain when you consider how much it would have cost in the US without insurance. Probably costs a couple of grand to start the engine of the ambulance up. :o
 
Thing is, they just present them with the bill after the treatment and essentially rely on their honesty - can't see them ever denying treatment to people or checking their ability to pay/insurance status etc.. up front.

How many fresh off the boat Somalians will pay it...

I think in the US they simply deny treatment at some hospitals unless you can show you've got cover or have the means to pay.
 
Very cheap, lab costs for investigations, bed for 2 nights, nursing support, food for two days, and any drip based medicines.

Cheap as chips at that price. Surprised they do not surcharge for those they are not expected to treat.
 
Thats good, and nice to know we're recouping some of the money from foreigners.

I wonder if and how the migrants from eastern europe pay or whether theyre entitled to free healthcare on the NHS?!
 
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