Medical Care

[snowdevilblue15]

How is the medical care up there? (Compared to the U.S and/or Canada) In terms of Medical care, medicines, facilities and waiting.. ei. emergency rooms.

[mlejoy]

i'm not british but i'll answer anyway

british medical care is just the same as you'd get in the US... they are on the cutting edge of medical advances, and i'm sure you'd get quality care there.

on the subject of medical care in scotland....i know that as a student i'll be covered under the NHS, but i dont understand how the prescription system works. i know you have to pay for medication, but how is it determined how much it cost?

[Polwarth]

You pay a flat fee of 6 pounds 10 pence per ITEM on a script - so if, say for example, you are prescribed antibiotics and another medication - that script would cost you 12 pounds 20p.

This charge does not reflect the true cost of the medicines prescibed. However, some are cheaper to buy as over the counter medication - eg antihistamines - than to buy on prescription. However, some medication can cost upwards of 30 pounds - so you make a real saving there.... it's kind of a swings and roundabouts thing.

[snowdevilblue15]

So also in regards to paying for prescriptions is there optional insurance where they do have coverage for that? I know in the U.S. the insurance company (health insurance) has to okay the prescription dosage, but they (mine anyways) does not pay for it. Is it the same there, where insurance companies do not pay, the customer does?

[Polwarth]

Although we have private medical insurance companies, most of the population use the National Health Service (NHS). The contributions are taken from your salary... So, each time we visit the GP or a hospital, the visit is 'free', ie we do not pay for each visit, having already 'paid' via taxes etc.

However, we DO pay for prescriptions, unless we are in certain categories - ie children under 16, pensioners, or unemployed or disabled, or if you have certain types of illness which requires ongoing medication, eg diabetes. These groups get prescription medicines free of charge.
If you need regular medications, but do not fall into these categories, it can be worth paying a pre-payment for prescriptions for say, 3 or 6 months. You pay a flat fee, and then all the prescriptions that you may or may not have to take would cost no more than the prepaid fee... It's quite a complicated system, as you can see. BUT, essentially, it is the cheapest way of getting medication.

[snowdevilblue15]

Suprisingly I do understand the system!! Thank you for the information. I can't wait to go through a migration nightmare when I move there someday!! Thank you.
--Snowdevilblue--