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What world will the meek inherit?

Would work on pigeons but, apparently not on cockatoos.

I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure and diabetes. I sleep wearing a mask attached to a CPAP machine. I'm on eight different medications. I visit the doctor typically several times a year.

Not ever, not once, have I been asked to pay a medical bill. Not for doctor visits, not for hospital visits, not for medications, not for anything. Never have I had to fill out a form for any kind of health insurance, never has any treatment even been discussed with me in terms of how expensive it is. I have literally no idea what any of the above even costs, because at the point of use, the answer is always the same : it costs nothing.

This is not to say that a national health system is perfect, mind. Waits for non-critical things can be long. The level to which it's funded - and consequently the level of quality available - becomes a political issue. My impression from talking to Americans is that US health care is better - IF you are wealthy, or have very good health insurance. The difference is that if you aren't or don't, you're pretty much dead.

But then in the UK you aren't mandated to use the NHS. You can still pay for private healthcare or private health insurance, if you want to.

On balance, I prefer our way.

Graham Kennedy wrote:I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure and diabetes. I sleep wearing a mask attached to a CPAP machine. I'm on eight different medications. I visit the doctor typically several times a year.

Not ever, not once, have I been asked to pay a medical bill. Not for doctor visits, not for hospital visits, not for medications, not for anything. Never have I had to fill out a form for any kind of health insurance, never has any treatment even been discussed with me in terms of how expensive it is. I have literally no idea what any of the above even costs, because at the point of use, the answer is always the same : it costs nothing.

This is not to say that a national health system is perfect, mind. Waits for non-critical things can be long. The level to which it's funded - and consequently the level of quality available - becomes a political issue. My impression from talking to Americans is that US health care is better - IF you are wealthy, or have very good health insurance. The difference is that if you aren't or don't, you're pretty much dead.

But then in the UK you aren't mandated to use the NHS. You can still pay for private healthcare or private health insurance, if you want to.

On balance, I prefer our way.

Trust me. As a red-blooded American I am ashamed of health care here. I prefer your way, too.

Nutso wrote:

I think I mildly groaned, but overall they were good. I laughed at some of them.

Baltimore is also pronounced "Bal mer" by the citizens of Baltimore.

Holy shit never heard speach so bad since My brother was a teenager!... wait...

I went to a Weird Al concert in 2015. Two hours long, aside from costume changes it did not stop. I never laughed so hard in my life. The man is a world treasure.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, all.