Why are Britons so afraid of the "Greatest Healthcare System in the World"?

[ck4829]

The word isn't "privatize", "regulate", "cuts", or anything like that when it comes to their medical care. The word that is scaring Britain is "American-style".

"Two years ago, Britons were outraged when U.S. politicians like Sarah Palin, in the debate over healthcare reform, turned this country's National Health Service into a public whipping boy, denouncing it as "evil," "Orwellian" and generally the enemy of everything good and true.

It's time for some payback.

Britain is now embroiled in a healthcare argument of its own, prompted by a proposed shake-up of the NHS. And the phrase on everyone's lips is "American-style," which may not be as catchy as the "death panels" that Palin attributed to socialized medicine but which, over here, inspires pretty much the same kind of terror.

Ask a Briton to describe "American-style" healthcare, and you'll hear a catalog of horrors that include grossly expensive and unnecessary medical procedures and a privatized system that favors the rich. For a people accustomed to free healthcare for all, regardless of income, the fact that millions of their cousins across the Atlantic have no insurance and can't afford decent treatment is a farce as well as a tragedy."

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-fg-britain-health-care-20110613,0,1237142.story

What's wrong with Britain, don't they realize that dying because of a treatable condition just because you can't pay or losing two fingers but only being able to afford just one being reattached is the very pinnacle of freedom?

[Autumn]

1. "Greatest Healthcare System in the World" is a fucking joke,

they hate us for our freedom.

[valerief]

5. They hate us for our Freedom From Healthcare. nt

[Ikonoklast]

6. Imagine the British Government *forcing* their population to live longer!

Sure am glad we fought to be free of gubbamint tyranny, lemme tell ya!

[valerief]

7. And we've got all the gun show guns to keep from living longer ourselves.

Unless we're an embryo.

[Ikonoklast]

8. If I was an aging Brit, I'd blame all my aches and pains on National Health Care.

After all, dead people feel nothing.

[hifiguy]

2. Even Thatcher, who was oblivious to human suffering

and meaner than a snake, would not have dared touch the NHS. Any Brit pol who tried would be introduced to the grand old English tradition of tar and feathers in a heartbeat.

[hifiguy]

3. Deleted my dupe

[white_wolf]

4. I hope this does not pass.

Not only would it be terrible for the British people,but can you imagine the ammo it would give the Right. "See the English tried that socialism for awhile,but now they realize capitalism is the way to go."

[Very_Boring_Name]

9. It's the same thing in Canada. "American style healthcare" is very scary for Canadians

even your most right wing conservatives run away as fast as they can from the term. It was amazing how defensive my conservative friends/family members would get if I said "Harper wants to bring us american health care"