From what I have seen on this subject here on Answerbag an overwhelming proportion of Americans are solidly against such a service. If that is the case they shouldn't have a free health service. Of course the British system isn't really free, it's funded by taxes and that seems to be the very reason that they don't want it. Two things that virtually all Americans seem to agree on is that taxes should be low and "gas" should be cheap.

I believe we should. Australia has seemed to make it work.

Americans should have a system that means people from all financial backgrounds have access to good quality treatment they need, when they need it. If that means the introduction of socialised medicine then I think it's a good idea. Yes, you pay for it in taxes, but personally I think healthcare for those who need it is much more important than cheap gas. It's disgraceful when people are dying and have to choose which finger to have sewn back on because of lack of money in a developed country. They could use an incentive to cut down on the monstrous size and amount of cars they have anyway :-)

I think what we need is to start to rebuild our military! To honor our men and women who fight to keep our country free. Free? Does anybody even understand what that means? We won't have to worry about health service or smoking in public, or where our children go to school, or if we will have untainted food to feed ourselves, and our families. We better get our country ready to defend itself. Yes everyone says this is America, we don't use such awful tactics to keep terriorists out, well lets give them a nice warm place to stay and 3 squares a day and free medical treatment, and no taxes to pay, that will keep them out! NOT!!!!!!!!!

ahem... britAIn's nhs is one of the most complained about things in the country. there are thousands willing to abuse the system and do so frequently. America would have millions abuse the system because it is so much bigger. i do not think it would last very long.

No we shouldn't.

Not sure how Britain's works...but caring for each other seems to make natural sense to me...; it appears that there are more than enough worldwide resources to address the basics like health, housing, and food...a collective willingness that focuses on this purpose, making it a top priority, and doesn't get lost in the weeds seems required... doing this might actually eliminate the apparent need to solve problems using weapons...

I don't think the US should have a national health care system because: 1. You still have to pay for it through taxes. I think this is the one thing people don't get is you still end up paying for it. 2. If you need a medical procedure done that isn't a life or death emergency be prepared to wait months to have it done. Many people come to the US from Canada (which has a NHS) to have minor surgeries, dental work and other things that they can't wait for, but the govt say they have to. 3. Competition in the medical field creates innovation. This is why the US has some of the best medical advancements in the world.

The British system isn't free, as you pay a % of your monthly salary to it, like Americans pay health insurance. Then if you need something (in theory), you can go and receive help from any state hospital or doctor's clinic and/or medicine whether you need an aspirin or major surgery (although medicine isn't free for a lot of people, as you pay a set price for anything you need prescribed). However, there are countless stories of people not being able to receive treatment when they need and waiting lists are common and prevalent in most areas of the country. There are also examples of doctors and nurses deciding whether you are "worth" treating or not, depending a number of factors (so they can save money) and I have been at the receiving end of this practice on more than one occasion. The UK health service is also riddled with "managers" who control what can or can't be done on the basis of cost and who screw up many peoples lives. In addition, what people have to come to know is that the money taken from your salary each month (known as National Insurance), is not separated out from general taxation and given to the health services - its just lumped in with all the other tax that the government receives - there is no separate source or fund. Also, the N.I. payments you make each month qualify you for credits towards a state pension when you retire. It is not clear if people paying today will ever actually see a pension. All in all, if you have money, best go private.

Socialized medicine it badly needed in the US and should have adopted it years ago.Hopefully with new leadership and partisan agreement it will arrive in the next year.The public wants it and a small amount of higher taxes is a small price to pay to get access to doctors, no matter what ones earnings are ,and all are treated with the same level of service.

This is a long answer... I apologize for that, but this is an important issue in the US, and candiates for President are touting their versions. First, it's not free. Second, there are problems with these systems that we, in America, have yet to have. Following is an email I received about the Canadian Health Care System, which is similar to Britain's, supposedly deliniating some of the problems with it. I researched it when I got it, and the research and informational links I included in the email I sent out are below the body of the email I got. After reading the email, at LEAST read Snopes' page about it, if you read nothing else. They are EXCELLENT researchers, and have a passion for proving what's right and wrong in Urban Legends (for them, an extremely wide-ranging definition). *** [The email] *** Subject: This was sent from Canada to a friend in the States. I saw on the news up here in Canada where Hillary Clinton introduced her new health care plan. Something similar to what we have in Canada. I also heard that Michael Moore was raving about the health care up here in Canada in his latest movie. As your friend and someone who lives with the Canada health care plan I thought I would give you some facts about this great medical plan that we have in Canada. First of all: 1) The health care plan in Canada is not free. We pay a premium every month of $96. for Shirley and I to be covered. Sounds great eh. What they don't tell you is how much we pay in taxes to keep the health care system afloat. I am personally in the 55% tax bracket. Yes 55% of my earnings go to taxes. A large portion of that and I am not sure of the exact amount goes directly to health care our #1 expense. 2) I would not classify what we have as health care plan, it is more like a health diagnosis system. You can get into to see a doctor quick enough so he can tell you "yes indeed you are sick or you need an operation" but now the challenge becomes getting treated or operated on. We have waiting lists out the ying yang some as much as 2 years down the road. 3) Rather than fix what is wrong with you the usual tactic in Canada is to prescribe drugs. Have a pain here is a drug to take- not what is causing the pain and why. No time for checking you out because it is more important to move as many patients thru as possible each hour for Government re-imbursement 4) Many Canadians do not have a family Doctor. 5) Don't require emergency treatment as you may wait for hours in the emergency room waiting for treatment. 6) Shirley's dad cut his hand on a power saw a few weeks back and it required that his hand be put in a splint - to our surprise we had to pay $125. for a splint because it is not covered under health care plus we have to pay $60. for each visit for him to check it out each week. 7) Shirley's cousin was diagnosed with a heart blockage. Put on a waiting list . Died before he could get treatment. 8) Government allots so many operations per year. When that is done no more operations, unless you go to your local newspaper and plead your case and embarrass the government then money suddenly appears. 9)The Government takes great pride in telling us how much more they are increasing the funding for health care but waiting lists never get shorter. Government just keeps throwing money at the problem but it never goes away. But they are good at finding new ways to tax us, but they don't call it a tax anymore it is now a user fee. 10) A friend needs an operation for a blockage in her leg but because she is a smoker they will not do it. Despite paying into the health care system all these years. My friend is 65 years old. Now there is talk that maybe we should not treat fat and obese people either because they are a drain on the health care system. Let me see now, what we want in Canada is a health care system for healthy people only. That should reduce our health care costs. 11) Forget getting a second opinion, what you see is what you get. 12) I can spend what money I have left after taxes on booze, cigarettes, junk food and anything else that could kill me but I am not allowed by law to spend my money on getting an operation I need because that would be jumping the queue. I must wait my turn except if I am a hockey player or athlete then I can get looked at right away. Go figger. Where else in the world can you spend money to kill yourself but not allowed to spend money to get healthy. 13) Oh did I mention that immigrants are covered automatically at tax payer expense having never contributed a dollar to the system and pay no premiums. 14) Oh yeh we now give free needles to drug users to try and keep them healthy. Wouldn't want a sickly druggie breaking into your house and stealing your things. But people with diabetes who pay into the health care system have to pay for their needles because it is not covered but the health care system. I send this out not looking for sympathy but as the election looms in the states you will be hearing more and more about universal health care down there and the advocates will be pointing to Canada. I just want to make sure that you hear the truth about health care up here and have some food for thought and informed questions to ask when broached with this subject. Step wisely and don't make the same mistakes we have. - *** [My research and links included in the email I sent back to the sender of the above] *** [Is this a "friend of a friend of a friend?" I worry about emails like this with no names, so we don't know if the one who sent it to US was the original receiver. This was NOT sent to ME from Canada, but from a relative in Alabama. Where did THEY get it? - BDBS] I, personally, am not saying whether this is true or not. I let Snopes' page (when research is completed) tell me. Meanwhile, here are a few links about the Canadian Health Care System. Until Snopes' research on each fact (that's what they usually do) is complete, make up your own mind. -wds The above email was researched at snopes - http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/canada.asp MY research: Following are stories about the Canadian Health Care System Story about Canadian Health Care (CHC) by a Canadian Doctor - http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html AP story about CHC - http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/20/health/main681801.shtml?cmp=EM8705 Investors Business Daily - Editorial - http://ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=275093998182089 Immigrant-American' (from Canada) take on the CHC System - http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/25776 What Conservatives Think (about CHC) - http://www.nationalcenter.org/WCT092404CanadianHealth.html Canadian Health Care Hypocracy - http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/06/18/canadian-health-care-hypocrisy/ The Frasier Institute - critics of CHC - http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/ Comparisons - http://www.futurenet.org/article.asp?ID=1503 The Top Ten Things People Believe About Canadian Health Care, But Shouldn't (2004) - http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/hl856.cfm Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_and_American_health_care_systems_compared (seem very slanted TOWARD the CHC System) From my research, I, personally, hope we don't go to this type of system. I DO believe that EVERYONE should be covered by SOME type of insurance, but not at the expense of some of the treatments and services we NOW enjoy. Again, I apologize for the length of this answer. I hope it helps!

It should, but it won't happen. And NONE of the candidates are for TRULY universal health care.

We broght it in just after ww2. Our peolpe had risked thier lifes for freedom and to improve our way of life, after that we new we should be able to live in the country our peolpe defended. Befor that we had a health care system worse than america's or soviat russia's. Our peolpe died from preventable decises as most were to poor to aford it. Why should they have had to risk thier lifes in the wars for a country that belonged to the rich. That is why we have a NHS and if america is for it's peolpe then they should have one two.

Every person everywhere should have access to free hospital and free general practioner access whether or not it should be like britains i do not know but australia's is pretty alright. no system will ever be perfect. for any government to ignore its people by not offering any sort of health system should be criminal. to me its worse than a third world country because they dont have basic facilities, but when there are facilities and they are not accessible to people because of money that is deplorable. Unfortunately after iraq and afghanistan there is too much of a deficit for the issue to be a major political pull at the moment. Something needs to be done, its disgraceful in my opinion and if i was american i would be demanding it.