Health Care Reform Support Group

Does the UK make its citizens, who do not qualify for entitlements, pay a fine if the citizen cannot afford the the monthly premium to purchase insurance?

Replace,

I do not understand your question. In the UK, as in many western countries, if one is a citizen, then one is entitled to benefits of a citizen. I guess I need more details on what you mean by entitlements. To my knowledge, no one pays anything for healthcare in the UK. That is the point.

Oh, well if nobody directly pays for any healthcare in the UK, then they certainly are not subject to the fines Americans will be subject to. According to the bill in congress, up to $3800 per year, per family, if you don't buy policies.

To answer your question, in the UK we pay something called "National Insurance", which is a percentage of our income very much like income tax - this is what covers us for healthcare and other benefits such as unemployment pay.
It's deducted automatically from peoples' wages, you'd only have to make your own arrangements to pay if you were self-employed. (And there's also a contribution that your employer is required to pay on your behalf.)

You don't get penalised if you're unemployed and unable to pay by the way, the minimum necessary NI payment is credited to your record when you sign on as unemployed.

I suppose in theory employers or self-employed people would be fined for dodging the payments, same as you'd be fined for dodging income tax - but you wouldn't be penalised for being too poor to pay it, if that's what you mean.

Hope that clears things up.

I think the point here is clear. There are not many Americans who can afford to have any more taxes taken from their wages. Most are living from pay day to pay day if they are lucky enough to be employed.

Unemployment is at an all time high, we are still losing jobs everyday. Will we tax the unployment as well? We do need health care reform in this country, but we need to make sure we get it right.

""""Reply #14 To answer your question, in the UK we pay something called "National Insurance", which is a percentage of our income very much like income tax - this is what covers us for healthcare and other benefits such as unemployment pay.
It's deducted automatically from peoples' wages, you'd only have to make your own arrangements to pay if you were self-employed.""""

I am willing to bet this is something all Americans could be very happy with.

The caveat being, tax rates do not go up, and all junk expenditures be immediately defunded, then use that money to pay for health care.

Unfortunately, those in Washington are intoxicated with power and their addiction is spending American's tax money.

So instead, they come up with programs that will cost us additional taxes, AND require us to buy insurance policies, even if we will have to go with food and electricity to do so.

They have too much power and provide oppressive non-solutions.

I say, replace them ALL.

I agree, whichever system is in place they have to ensure people are left with enough to live on.

Plenty of public money gets spent on silly things in the UK as well ............................. too many expensive lunches for men in suits and other such nonsense. I don't care if businesses have that kind of cash to throw around, I just don't want to see my tax money going on that stuff.

I am an American living in the UK. My husband is British. Even with Medicare, there is no way we would live in the US now. Here in the UK we have peace of mind that our medical problems will be taken care of.

Several times in the US, I went without medical care because I didn't have insurance. Mostly it was when I was between jobs.

My husband had hip replacement surgery a year ago. It cost us nothing and the care was excellent. He was in a ward with three other men and he enjoyed being with other people instead of being hidden away in a private room.

Our medicines cost us nothing. After the age of 60 prescriptions are free.

I never have to wait a long time in the doctor's office and the doctor takes as much time as is needed with me. No rush, rush so he can get to the next patient so he can rack up as much money as possible during the day.