What is the Difference Between Single Payer Healthcare and Universal Healthcare?

The National Health System (NHS) in the United Kingdom is a public medical system with social welfare nature. It has been implemented since the 1950s after World War II, and it has been for half a century.

Universal medical service system

The National Health System (NHS) in the United Kingdom

The universal medical service system established and funded by the British government includes a two-tiered medical system, namely, a community-based primary health care network, which usually provides medical care for community residents General Practitioners (GPs) and nurses in health care. The second floor is the Hospital-based specialist services of the NHS. , Or deal with some major accidents and emergency patients.

The cost borne by the NHS roughly includes: family doctor's diagnosis and treatment fees, hospitalization medical expenses (but some hospitalization expenses and projects still need to pay at their own expense), prenatal inspection and production medical care expenses, etc. Due to the division of medicine in the United Kingdom, after the consultation, doctors can buy medicines from pharmacies with the prescription prescribed by the doctor. Except for children under 16 years old, full-time students under 19 years old, elderly people, people with disabilities or pregnant (maternal) women, they have obtained free medical certification. In addition, you have to pay for the medicine yourself.

As for private medical services, as the UK visits are usually made by appointment (if it is not urgently needed), it may be included in the long waiting list of NHS hospitals. Some people will consider receiving privately provided medical treatment at their own expense. Some people also pay for this part of their lives by purchasing private medical insurance. As for which medical insurance to buy, it may take some time to collect data for comparison, or Ask experienced people, but based on reasonable prices and good service reputation.

Here's how to choose a family doctor (GP), registration procedures, visits, emergency and referrals, and dentist services for your reference.

The advantages of the British medical insurance system are that businesses and individuals have no financial burden and the quality of health services is high. And medical insurance is often better integrated with preventive health care and primary health care.