Uploaded August 2011 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
UPDATE: Roentgen571 has made some good points that I do not want to have buried in the comments, so I'm adding them to the video description:
A couple of points... the critics of socialized medicine like to point to waiting lists as though they don't exist here in the US as well. At the hospital where I work, there are two full-time orthopedic surgeons. Both of them have waiting lists that are over 2 months.
Second, people are often confused about the elective nature of some surgeries. Yes, hip replacements can be elective. If you have arthritis, for example, you need surgery to improve quality of life, but if that surgery happens today or week after next isn't going to make a big difference. But they can also be emergency surgeries--like in the case of a fall and broken hip. These need to be attended to ASAP.
In the British system or in Canada, you might have to wait a few months for your arthritic hip replacement (you may well here in the US, too), but if you fall and break your hip, you're not going to be laying there for months waiting for that surgery.
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
This video is my response to the blatant dishonesty of Mr Killian in his portrayal of government-managed Healthcare in the UK (and by extension any country operating a similar system). He is guilty of so much that he accuses others of doing, including dishonesty, and behaves as though he is the one who knows it all. He embodies the Dunning-Kruger effect.
The US Healthcare System has the highest per capita spending of other first world nations in the OECD report, and yet this is not reflected in the quality of life for the citizens of the US, nor does the US have any sort of available universal healthcare.
Links supporting this video:
nhshistory.net/shorthistory.htm
A brief history of healthcare in Britain before the NHS
eh.net/encyclopedia/article/thomasson.insurance.health.us
Health Insurance History in the United States
nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx
The NHS Constitution Main Page
nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/Waitingtimes/Pages/Guide%20to%20waiting%20times.aspx
NHS Guide to Waiting Times
dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/@sta/@perf/documents/digitalasset/dh_128285.xls
Excel Spreadsheet comparing RTT waiting times among various departments and hospitals in the UK
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_health_care_systems_in_Canada_and_the_United_States
Comparison between Canadian and US Healthcare systems
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada
Health care in Canada
(including a history where Canada did something similar to the US before its' people woke up).
youtube.com/user/HappyCabbie#p/c/B56999BA77BD52A2
HappyCabbie's ongoing fight against cirrhosis and how it involves Healthcare
(He also has a separate playlist with discussions on Healthcare in the US)
youtube.com/user/TheElMoIsEviL
youtube.com/watch?v=TEOGXc39Kkg
TheElMoIsEviL and his video on Canadian Healthcare.
UPDATE: Roentgen571 has made some good points that I do not want to have buried in the comments, so I'm adding them to the video description:
A couple of points... the critics of socialized medicine like to point to waiting lists as though they don't exist here in the US as well. At the hospital where I work, there are two full-time orthopedic surgeons. Both of them have waiting lists that are over 2 months.
Second, people are often confused about the elective nature of some surgeries. Yes, hip replacements can be elective. If you have arthritis, for example, you need surgery to improve quality of life, but if that surgery happens today or week after next isn't going to make a big difference. But they can also be emergency surgeries--like in the case of a fall and broken hip. These need to be attended to ASAP.
In the British system or in Canada, you might have to wait a few months for your arthritic hip replacement (you may well here in the US, too), but if you fall and break your hip, you're not going to be laying there for months waiting for that surgery.
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
This video is my response to the blatant dishonesty of Mr Killian in his portrayal of government-managed Healthcare in the UK (and by extension any country operating a similar system). He is guilty of so much that he accuses others of doing, including dishonesty, and behaves as though he is the one who knows it all. He embodies the Dunning-Kruger effect.
The US Healthcare System has the highest per capita spending of other first world nations in the OECD report, and yet this is not reflected in the quality of life for the citizens of the US, nor does the US have any sort of available universal healthcare.
Links supporting this video:
nhshistory.net/shorthistory.htm
A brief history of healthcare in Britain before the NHS
eh.net/encyclopedia/article/thomasson.insurance.health.us
Health Insurance History in the United States
nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx
The NHS Constitution Main Page
nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/Waitingtimes/Pages/Guide%20to%20waiting%20times.aspx
NHS Guide to Waiting Times
dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/@sta/@perf/documents/digitalasset/dh_128285.xls
Excel Spreadsheet comparing RTT waiting times among various departments and hospitals in the UK
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_health_care_systems_in_Canada_and_the_United_States
Comparison between Canadian and US Healthcare systems
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada
Health care in Canada
(including a history where Canada did something similar to the US before its' people woke up).
youtube.com/user/HappyCabbie#p/c/B56999BA77BD52A2
HappyCabbie's ongoing fight against cirrhosis and how it involves Healthcare
(He also has a separate playlist with discussions on Healthcare in the US)
youtube.com/user/TheElMoIsEviL
youtube.com/watch?v=TEOGXc39Kkg
TheElMoIsEviL and his video on Canadian Healthcare.
