To think putting vat on private healthcare when many people use it because the NHS won't treat them is monstrously cruel

[DervlaGlass]

I know so many people who have had to pay for cancer diagnostics or new joints because they couldn't obtain care from the NHS. Not rich people - people who have to take out bank loans to fund it.

What is wrong with labour.

But it isn't happening. Wouldn't it be better to winge about stuff thats real rather than the fairy stories you read in the tabloids?

Exactly.

You're combining two entirely different types of medical need in one sweeping statement, @DervlaGlass . Get your facts straight.

I had my cancer treatments 11 yrs ago provately because that GP refused me a mammogram
on thr NHS. I was grade 3 but luckily stage 1.
i had mastectomy, chemo then radio and the effing horrible tamoxifen.

i saw the bills. It was upward £150k nearly £200k 10 yes ago.

then a few years after we received from the NHS that because I didnt cost the NHS i could claim back £400 per chemos (I had 32), a couple of grands for my surgery, and 300 per radio sessions.
i kid you not.

we didnt claim the money. We were shocked. I couldnt believe i was offered that when the NHS is struggling and in its knees.

so before putting the vat, i would remove all that sh…t. It s my choice to pay for a private health insurance, it wasnt my choice to go private but to be honest i wpuld have done because i dint trust the NHS. The way the money isnt managedin the NHS in an efficient way is frankly flabbergasting and sad

Well apparently Wes Streeting has ruled it out, it won't be happening. But to be honest it was totally wrong to do it to private education too, plenty of people pay for private education because the state system cannot meet their kids needs, same problem as healthcare.

I use a private provider for Mounjaro. I’ve lost over 100lbs. I’ve saved the NHS a ton of money by preventing my condition getting worse.

I pay VAT.

Isn't that the same argument for parents of SEN children sending their child to private school because there's no decent state provision?

Bit hypocritical to say it's okay for one choice but not the other.

Streeting has ruled it out.

Most people pay for private education and healthcare because they see it as an elitist thing to do. Let’s be honest here, they think they’re better than the rest of the plebs because they have more money.

Rubbish. I would say a huge majority of people who have private health cover have it because it's a perk through their work. Nothing to do with being elitest. Stop projecting your own sense of inferiority.

Not these days im afraid! Often now its out of of sheer necessity. That's the state of our public services now.

👏👏👏 this

Streeting is bank rolled by private healthcare, he won't let it happen without a fight.
However it would be a consistent position alongside taxing education.

As no one actually knows what Reeves will do, it’s all speculation. Before they even think about doing this, they should sort out the shitstorm that the NHS is now. 🙄

Why? They brought in education tax without sorting out state schools first. Why should healthcare be any different?

I have no doubt that Labour will bring this in at some point. They are a clueless bunch of morons.

Let’s be perfectly honest here, the majority of people who are overweight (me included) would save the NHS money if they hadn’t become overweight in the first place. I know I’m overweight because I eat too much, and that’s fine with me.

😂😂😂
Most people I know work in education - I can’t think of any free perks we get through our jobs. (unless you call getting a free school dinner if you do a lunch duty a perk)

Okay?

I was morbidly obese due to a massive amount of factors. The research is showing it’s not solely eating too much. I have worked hard, lost 7 stone in a year and am continuing to lose more. I have only ever sought treatment for non-weight related issues. I don’t see what your comment has to do with mine? My point is people are already paying VAT on private healthcare.

Streeting was surprisingly straightforward about it this morning. The reporter gave him an out and said “I know you probably can’t comment directly” and Streeting replied “I’m going to shock you. It’s not happening”. He was asked if he could guarantee it, he said yes. He wouldn’t have said that if he hadn’t been told to. They’ve let all sorts of other rumours about the budget carry on, and haven’t commented, or have dodged the questions with “well I wouldn’t like to say what the chancellor will do, that’s for her to say”.

So it’s not even speculation at this point.

Labour have lost any sense of reality. We have a budget coming up in a month and they have no idea how they are going to raise the money to fund what they have spent. The Reform policy of allowing private health care to be tax deducted makes far more sense and incentivises the right behaviour.

Who has said this is about to happen?

And I mean a valid and reliable source, not a UK daily newspaper.

As if Streeting would know! Even the Chancellor doesn't know what she is going to do. I think it will be something really random like a annual tax on having a dog. If every dog owner had to pay £500 a year that would raise £6.5bn, including cats could probably double it.

I have private health care as a retirement perk and I am truly thankful whenevever I have to use it and don’t have to wait a year to get a referral. I don’t think it is quite the same as education. Our kids all get educated and quality of state provision is very variable. Also I am taxed on the private health benefit already, so chancellor already taking a cut. I had an eye operation at a local private hospital, my nearest and was surprised when the nhs paid the insurer back after the event. I had used my insurance because the private hospital was a mile away, so more convenient

Not happening apparently.

Bring on the budget, I'm not sure I can cope with the daily 'I read on Facebook that Rachel Reeves is going to tax baby's eyes and puppies- what a disgrace!' threads in the interim.

I literally just post puppies is probably the way forward. Babies eyes would be a bit weird. I hear some at conference were suggesting bringing back the Window Tax as it is a proxy for wealth.