305 NHS

The National Health Service, or NHS, is Britain's socialized healthcare. The NHS serves 60% of Britain's population via General Fund taxes, meaning there is no Payroll tax. The buildings are not glass monuments to medicine, but instead plain & unobtrusive, in the local neighborhood where patients can walk to them. Trucks with the specialized equipment, like MRIs, come around to the clinics on scheduled days, so everything is available. Everyone within the clinic's radius is assumed to be a patient, and annual patient contact is automated. All-in-all, the people who use it love it.

My wife & I used the NHS for a year while I studied medicine in Newcastle, England, going to the local clinic several times so I have a feel for what it's like. For example, I received a postcard telling me to come in for an annual checkup: I walked. My clinic was a refurbished brick building from the early 20th Century, homey & non-threatening. For starters, contrary to how it's portrayed in the U.S., there are no significant wait times, maybe 10 minutes. The examination was prompt, professional & efficient; I was out within a half hour. During my visits, I paid close attention to how things worked; what was right, and what was wrong. My conclusion: we need look no further for a model of how the U.S. should operate healthcare. The big question is: are Americans too egotistical for low-key, no fuss, utilitarian healthcare?