BBC news saying Scotland discussed possibility of wealthy being expected to pay for nhs treatment

[Ruizy]

Feeling a bit horrified at the prospect of this proposal. Surely it would just mean those above a certain wage would have to take out bupa style insurance. But not sure what would happen to emergency care.

Private healthcare doesn’t cover pre existing conditions

this would mean the so called “wealthy” in Scotland would be right royally screwed.

I have cover through my work and it’s highly restricted. Having just had a daughter recovered from anorexia the thought of having to fight an insurance company is terrifying

I agree the “the wealthy” already have good insurance and don’t use the NHS anyway and thus have faster treatment. Even the non wealthy have bought faster treatment - my aunt just took a loan for a hip replacement as she couldn’t work til it was done and the waiting list meant her house would be repossessed if she didn’t work so had no choice.

I'm not in Scotland I'm in England, but from my experience if you need NHS treatment and you can afford it you already go private because the waiting lists are so very long. So bearing that in mind a 2 tier system is already in place albeit informal.

Prescription charges would be a start

This is a personal choice though which should exist

It’s still a terrible idea to take that choice away and enforce it

Yes @BeethovenNinth private health insurance in uk is very restrictive in what it will cover. It's designed for the one-off conditions that require treatment/surgery and then the person is cured. It's not designed for long-term condition management, which is a huge amount of the nhs workload.

I imagine in countries that already have a 2 tier system their private health insurance may be different to what ours is here? They surely must have to cover pre-existing conditions?

Maybe there would need to be a system of nhs covers pre existing conditions and new conditions going forward are under insurance

You have to define 'pre-existing'.

You can't have a system that Jim gets his treatment on the NHS because he was diagnosed with say Angina before April 23, but Bob who was diagnosed in May 23 is subject to fighting with insurance company.

Agree I don’t think it’s a good idea

This is a lie, everyone assumes we mean the American system when talking about reform. There's many other models of healthcare I like the European, Singapore and Australian system. Just because it needs reform definitely does not mean moving to an American healthcare system. This needs to be talked about. Our healthcare system is shite when my DD had profuse d&v. MIL took her to a Singaporean hospital she was seen straightaway , pushed fluids gave medication and it cost £10. It would take ages here our healthcare system isn't the greatest in the world far from it.

www.moh.gov.sg/cost-financing/healthcare-schemes-subsidies/medishield-life

Well that'd see MIL and FIL moving to England, as they're fairly wealthy and MIL needs a lot of medical care. I wouldn't blame either - they've paid plenty into the system over their long working lives via tax and NI.

I never understand why people get free food in hospital. Surely a better way forward would be to charge patients for their own meals. Health care free but pay for own meals. I think most people would accept that as fair.

They would have to find a way for people to take out private health insurance that somehow accounted for pre- existing conditions.

We looked into taking over DH's work health insurance policy when we retired. We were quoted £25k a year (yes seriously £25,000!) as he has had cancer (cured but still needing follow up tests.) He actually had this treated on his health insurance and the surgery he had cost less than this. He has now been referred back to the NHS for ongoing tests.

I also have ongoing problems with my knees that are likely to need surgery. Again consultant, treatment physio etc. not covered by the new private health insurance we took out so had to go back to the NHS.

If you think most of England have private healthcare, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.

Asset wealthy, savings, or income? I'm income on the breadline, asset rich. Awful idea.

Hattie I'm interested in your system - how does it work for disabled people? Do they get good care, are they eligible for insurance etc? Or people with chronic conditions. That would be my biggest worry for my son who has cerebral palsy. And also for example I have epilepsy so am on medication for life.

I was horrified to see the news article this morning.

I honestly think snp must have some weird plan to dissuade people from achievement.
Why would someone push to better and more lucrative employment if you get fucked over from every angle?

How will they afford anything when the wealthy are lambasted at every corner and likely driven out.

Sounds a great plan

I've lived in both the USA and Switzerland. In the USA insurance was expensive and for anyone in a job that did not come with company health care there could be real problems as insurance companies could ramp up the cost for those with higher risk, refuse to cover pre-existing conditions or even refuse to cover at all. Yes, I knew people who could not get cover for their small child.... Health problems can bankrupt you there.
Switzerland has a very different system. If you can afford it you must pay for health insurance. If you can't afford cover, the state pays. Insurance companies have to take everyone at the same rate, regardless of risk or pre-existing conditions, pre-existing conditions are covered. Yes, it's expensive, but I got the operation I needed without having a long wait, and even got to pick the day to fit in with work commitments.
Now I'm back in the UK and yes, I have private health insurance, but my pre-existing conditions are not covered and each year as my age (and therefore the risk) goes up, the premium goes up too...

They'll just blame Westminster for making people live in poverty as usual!

So two tier system.
It would be better to just raise taxes of richer people and put that into the NHS.
How come raising tax is not a viable way to protect the NHS but charging is?

And you all know if this happened the threshold would be lowered so it ended up everyone but the very poorest paid.
My family will just all die. And I do not say that lightly. We have a genetic illness that without treatment my two DCs and DH will die.

What exactly is wrong with discussing ideas? thats how policies get developed.

The way people are going on about an idea quickly dismissed, you'd think it was about to implemented next week - the wealthy driven out ffs!

Do people not realise the UK still has a relative low tax burden?

Yes they will. As much as I feel sorry for those who don’t want it it’s swinging me to allowing them vote. I don’t want to pick up the tab to these woeful decisions and also get the blame for the mistakes… They can be accountable for own failures.

@Cyclistmumgrandma Paying the same insurance premium is no different to paying tax to the NHS, except it is more costly as a private company makes money.
And is there a co-pay or excess? There usually is. So lots of people can't afford that part anyway.