Over 100 NHS consultants have signed a letter which has been sent to leading political figures in the US correcting misconceptions about the NHS propounded by republicans in their health care debate.
The letter strives to set the record straight. It says: ‘No one is denied medicine if they need it. All children up to the age of 16, pregnant women and adults over the age of 60, unemployed people, patients with cancer and many with chronic conditions, don’t pay for their medication from the NHS.’
The letter has primarily been sent to democratic Senator John Kerry in the US, who called for the lies about healthcare to be refuted.
Republicans have accused the NHS of being Orwellian, Marxist, and presiding over ‘death panels’ that decide which patients should live. The debate was fuelled by Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan who, when interviewed on US television, described the NHS as “a 60-year mistake”.
It also suggests the NHS is good value for money. ’The NHS is funded by taxes and provides universal coverage while costing 8% of UK GDP. The US system currently costs 16% of GDP but leaves 45 million without insurance and a further 25 million underinsured.’
The letter criticises the US health care system, particularly about the standards of care for those with pre-existing conditions. ‘In the US, people with pre-existing health problems are rarely covered by private insurance companies for those problems. Many do not change jobs for fear of losing cover for such conditions from their new insurers.
‘The NHS is literally a life saver for those with pre-existing health problems - they are not denied care. It is vitally important that the NHS, and any government financed health plan anywhere, undertakes the care of such people.’
It was signed by senior figures from the medical profession including Sir George Alberti, past president of the Royal College of Physicians and dean of Newcastle School of Medicine, Professor Andrew Boulton, professor of medicine at the University of Manchester and Sir Alexander Macara, chairman of the National Heart Forum.
Co-author of the letter Dr Jacky Davis, consultant radiologist and co-chair of the NHS Consultants Association, said: “The US healthcare system makes trillions of dollars in profits every year, some of which finds its way into the pockets of politicians and lobbyists. The new proposals threaten these profits and their recipients.
“In addition, the American right sees this issue as a way to bring President Obama down, so it is not surprising that this toxic mix of vested interests has organised a campaign of misinformation on the subject, including outright lies about the NHS. This letter is an effort to refute the lies.
Read a full account of the letter.
Tags: US healthcare
