I just booked my medical in London and they told me that the price goes up to £200 on 1st May 2007. The cancellation fee is now £80....

OUCH! It was already too much!!!!

Blame Gordon Brown for the 3.1% inflation!

Crap. Unless something totally unbelievable happens Bruce's will be after that date. Yet another case of Rip-Off Britain???

I thought the cancellation fee wast already 80....well it was in october!

Well, think about it this way; they're the ones who get to do the medicals for US visas and they're the only ones. You can't choose your own. There MUST be some kick-backery going on there.

But yes, this country is a complete and utter ripoff. I can't believe how people here are so ripped off, it's outrageous. For example, there's a lens I'd like for my camera...even taking into account the fact that the US price does not include sales tax, I'd save 100 pounds by buying it in America. I can't have it shipped to me here though; customs would pop me. It's a government-sponsored ripoff!

I love how they have us over a barrel like this. No choice of supplier, and we're all desperate so we pay whatever they tell us to pay.

On the topic of customs, ages and ages ago my brother sent me a webcam as a present. This must have been 2001 at the latest, and although prices had gone down in the US they still cost a bomb in the UK. My brother paid about $25 for it, I recall. Anyway, the postman said he wouldn't hand it over to me until I paid customs on it -- a whopping £40 of duty for a $25 camera. Awesome. I told him to send it back to my brother, and I would pick it up when I went home on my next trip. There was no way in hell that camera was worth what Customs and Excise valued it at (I think around £125?). It was never actually sent back, though, and it mysteriously showed up about 3 months later with the "Duty Payable" sticker scribbled out. Very odd.

And I must add this tale: my friend got charged duty on a jumper her grandmother hand knit for her and sent over from New York! Must have been one hell of a gorgeous jumper...

I just blame Gordon Brown, even without the inflation!

I'll tell him -- I'm at No.11 tomorrow night (no kidding). I'll say, Mags sent me!

I got that beat. They charged me hundreds of pounds in duties...on my OWN PERSONAL STUFF...when I moved over here. I got some of it refunded but not all of it. Wankers wankers wankers wankers.

It's in London, which is in England. Everyone hoists prices sky high for no good reason whenever they can.

Apart from that someone has to pay for the consultants 25% pay rise over the last 3 years.

200!??!?! I'm sorry, this doesn't even affect me and I'm shocked. Rey paid like 100 dollars for Brazil, which is a serious rip-off country.

200 POUNDS STERLING? That's like $400!

Oh, that's nice of you, you sure you don't mind?

Yep....when I say things are obscenely expensive here, I'm not kidding!

and of course medical care is so cheap in the States

I never had to pay $400 for a medical.

Plus, the NHS isn't that great either...and you sort of get what you pay for. The PCT where I live is so broke that their cutbacks are endangering patient care. Wooooo!

Nope, it would be my pleasure! Just checked my diary -- I'm an idiot, the reception is tomorrow so my message will have to wait another day...

Uhh.... great.
I'm trying to get a job in London now for the time being ... (whatever more than infinite time it takes for K3). $ 400 for the medical is a theft though...

Oh my god this is shocking, we are having a hard enough time tryin to save for everything as it is without prices going up!!

Does anyone know what the child prices have gone upto, if they have??

How do they expect people to pay out for all of the visa process and pay for a wedding when they keep increasing prices??

Does anyone at the USCIS or relevent embassys or even Gordon Brown believe in love anymore?? if so please give us a break

Swings and roundabouts.....I had brain & spinal surgery & wound up $1 million in debt here in the US.


I wouldn't say a 3% hike is indicative of the UK being a 'complete and utter ripoff'

*gulp* Bloody hell Lisa.

Bad news about the surgery. Hope it was successful.

Maybe 3% rise isn't. But a £30 increase on £170 is in fact 17.6% increase which is a bit much. Furthermore the UK is a rip off on almost everything else as well. Fuel, groceries, tax etc etc etc. the list goes on. I think you'll find that those of us who have lived all our lives here know that we are being ripped off every day.

I do feel ripped off about a lot of things BUT I am about to move to the US where health insurance for my family is going to cost us $11,000 a year. And I still have to pay co-pays and deductibles on top. The health care had better be REALLY amazing out there for that price.

I didn't know the exact figure of what it was before, and was skimming this thread & saw summat in this thread mentioning 3% so for me 1 + 1 = 3

Yep the surgery went well (depending on who you ask, lol) and yes things are expensive there...I know that. But everything evens out really imo....I brought up my surgery to prove the point of while gas, tax, etc is expensive there...you at least get the balance of free health care. We can debate the word 'free' til the cows come home really, but you can walk into emergency and not have to do the math of what a 10% copay's gonna be. And that's if you're lucky enough to have health care to begin with! And of course there are those who don't see that value, cos they never have had to, and that's such a wonderful thing.

But it's all to do with proximity as well. You want Florida oranges in the middle of winter, well they're going to be expensive. But if I wanted to fly to Ireland from Florida, it'd be a lot more than flying from Teeside airport to Dublin.

So there's cost in everything, things are expensive wherever you go...unless you want to live on a commune and grow your own veg, lol. It's inflation, not neccessarily indicative of a whole country being a 'complete and utter ripoff'

But that's just my opinion

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The UK does not have free health care. Everyone pays National Insurance. Unfortunately if one decides to opt into their own private health care plan, they still have to pay National Insurance.
Furthermore that same "free" health care is crumbling all the time. For routine stuff it works ok...ish.
I needed shoulder surgery which I had to wait nearly a year to have. We have people waiting for beds on trolleys in corridors. Staffing levels are falling and so is the care as a direct result. Our hospitals are plagued with MRSA and generally speaking it is sub standard quality service.
Yes, health care insurance can be expensive in the US but it still works better and faster than the UK, and a lot of the time people would rather be fixed, healed and cured as quickly and efficiently as possible rather than as cheaply as possible when they can fit you in.

I agree. For what we pay in taxes in the UK, we're being ripped off. York's NHS PCT is an effing JOKE. It's PATHETIC. On the one hand, you can end up in a massive amount of debt in the US from medical bills. On the other, that doesn't happen to everyone. Several family members have had cancer or invasive surgeries with long recuperations and none of them went broke. None of them lost their insurance coverage either. On the flipside of that, I know people in the UK who have had to declare bankruptcy due to lengthy illnesses...so even if you don't have medical bills to pay you're still screwed, so I don't see how the system is any better. Having cancer is as likely to bankrupt you in the UK as it is in the USA, so whether your medical bills are $0 or $1m becomes irrelevant.

The NHS has good care for acute problems; they fixed my systemic allergic reaction in a jif; but I could have done that myself in the United States with a trip to the pharmacy since they're open 24 hours a day there. There are none of those in York, hence I had to go to A&E. The NHS is rubbish for chronic conditions like diabetes, MS, etc. I know several people who suffer from chronic conditions and they all receive what would be considered sub-standard care in the United States. Personally I think the NHS is crumbling and is in danger of collapsing...and soon. Blame Tony Blair's Labour party. Labour will lose the next general election, the Tories will get in, and they'll privatize it. Then the British won't have their 'free' health care to crow about.

Oh well £400 to shell out instead of £340

Hey and on top of all that, they won't cover any of our pre-existing conditions for the first year. What a GREAT system!

PS neither me or any of my children pay any National Insurance in the UK... where did the idea that everyone pays it come from?

I worked for the NHS for 8 years so have seen the system from the inside. First of all it depends on which Healthcare Trust you fall under. Some are excellent, others appalling. I worked for a mid-range London hospital. It was clean, had clear corridors and a good rate of clearing beds. If you fall under an appalling one, with horrendous waiting times then, depending on what ails you, you could be in some trouble.

I was lucky where I lived and where I worked (2 separate trusts). I have had nothing but excellent service from my own hospital and GP, for both my son and I. For example, I needed an MRI on my head (to check there was a brain there! LOL) and had an appointment within a week. It wasn't an emergency either, just routine. A friend of mine (who lived in the same Trust area) needed Gall bladder surgery. She only waited 4 weeks for it, again not an emergency.

My son has ADHD (as do I) and his drugs cost $300 a month here. It is a pre-existing condition, not covered by insurance. I got them free in the UK. When he was diagnosed I had excellent service. Psychology sessions, counselling sessions etc etc. Didn't cost me a penny. Over here it is $120 a time.

Still, despite all of this, all of the bad press, I'd rather have the NHS than the American system. That all seems to be about how much money they can squeeze out of you or your insurance provider. My husband had to have some blood tests a few years ago. His GP made him have so many, without ever giving him results ("we just need to do one more!") that his insurance company (through his work) told him that they wouldn't pay for anymore of these tests. The GP was a total fraud, trying to squeeze as much cash out of him as possible.

Suffice it to say, he didn't go back.

I'm surprised they cover your pre-existing at all, frankly. Normally they don't (Without a high fee).

Do you work in the UK? I had to have a NIN when I worked in the UK.

Oh, ps & btw...everyone who works pays National Insurance...not everyone/. Just like everyone working in America pays for Medicare, yet not everyone in America is entitled to it. So I'll say again...we can argue the word 'free' all we want, but the argument is semantical in nature.

D had a DVT there and I have to say I have not one complaint in his treatment. Nor did I have a complaint when my very good friend had a heart attack Over here, without insurance...something like either of these things here can put a person in financial ruin. Homesick American...you mentioned MS...well I also happen to have a very good friend I met while there who has MS & receives top notch care...MRIs, medications, & neurologists consultations....all the time. And none of her care which she rec's raises her National Health contribution requirement.

I ran out of my COBRA coverage from a group policy, and 6 years after medical clearance from my surgery, I was quoted a monthly premium of $600. Had I been English, my financial contribution to the NHS would not have changed.

I find it odd to complain about how it's such a 'ripoff' then at the same time complain about the quality of care.

You're added to the list of ex NHS worker expats over here who I know, and they all say they would prefer NHS to the US health system.

Some have bad luck, some have good with the NHS, but there is no way I could complain about them ever again. If you're unemployed or disabled, the NHS is essentially free, and it is free to any foreign national who happens to get sick on their visit.

To top it off, and I have quoted this before, the US health system does not score high in the World Health Organization rankings despite its high cost to individuals. It actually comes #37 -- way below countries such as Chile (#33), Columbia (#22), and even the UK (#18). So what are we paying for? Some would argue you get what you pay for in the UK, but can we say the same about the US? Just like the NHS I'm sure it depends on where you live, but getting rid of the rip off insurance companies (yes, you will get ripped off here too, people!) and doctors in cahoots with drug companies would be a step in the right direction.

(I'm not quite sure why a private clinic price rise has anything to do with the NHS or the government though. As far as I can work out, the civil surgeons over here are making a nice little earner on medicals too.)

OK, I said everyone. Of course children don't pay. You say everyone who works pays NI. You obviously do not realise that everyone who claims unemployment benefit still has their stamp paid by the tax payer. It's still not free whatever argument you try to put on it. Children's contributions are calculated into all working and benefit contributions. Individuals, as you quite rightly point out, are not penalised for their use of the NHS, but the contributions are adjusted accordingly. Everyone pays for everyone's health care, (children obviously excluded from the word "everyone").

Furthermore, you are not the only person to receive NHS care. I'm glad you got good service. I didn't. In fact I got lousy service and the NHS have, (more or less), told my mother that she has nothing to do but wait to die because they cannot offer her the treatment she needs to alleviate her conditions and extend her life. With a quality health plan that treatment would happen.

Mags, yes, as you stated you were lucky, but I'm not guessing when I state that the British public is dissatisfied with the NHS. Anyone who says that the general trend is favourable is either lying or biased.

All I know is if I had been on a decent health plan such as I will be on when I get to the US, I would not have outrageous dental bills, deformed fingers and a shortened quality of life for my mother. The NHS sucks, big time. Hell, if I want an appointment with my doctor for something, I need a week at least before they will see me. I could heal in pain from some of things that I needed to see them for in that time. Generally speaking, that's exactly what I do because it makes me angry to be given an appointment beyond what I call reasonable delay.

Worship the free health care if you want. I'm not going to jump on that political band wagon. I suffered, my mother still suffers, and it killed my father. I cannot say that the NHS is anything but a liability in it's present form to the nation as a whole.

I said working people pay for it...meaning people on the dole don't. Never mentioned owt about children. Every working person in America pays Medicare, but is not entitled to rec it. I pay for something I don't get. You could God forbid lose your job tomorrow and still get what you wouldn't be paying for. Therefore, it's FREE service. Maybe you'll understand more when you come here and get a job and pay the same amt for summat you're not entitled to.

Incidentally, my mom just had a root canal last week at a specialist and her copay was $900. I dunno where you got that dentists are inexpensive over here. Or the fact that you can call in at the doc's the same day.

I'm not playing the drama card here, but unless you were sat in front of a doc being told you'd prolly die or wake up a cabbage from surgery, and the first question out of your mouth was 'how much does this cost?' cos you're responsible for 10%, I really don't think you'd understand where I'm coming from. It's a terrible thing to have to worry about money when you're sick and need medical attn. I was so worried about $$$ that after surgery, the doc wanted me on vitamin C. He told my mom to go buy a bottle. The nurses would bring round a tablet, and I'd refuse it cos I had my own bottle. Lo and behold, when auditing the $900,000 bill, I noticed I was charged about $400 for 'ascorbic acid' (vit c)!!! I challenged the poxy 500 bucks, they agreed that it was an erroneous charge, but in the process of the audit found that they had undercharged me for my oxygen by 3 days at $200/hour. Hah! Who said air is free

So seriously, paying NI is nothing when you have that safety net God forbid you need it. I'm talking life threatening, emergent care. Dave's been waiting for a hernia operation for a while now...and yes it sucks that he has to wait. But when his leg puffed up again last week and we were worried about a reoccurance of a DVT, he got right in A&E and they did all their fancy tests and gave him a good once over and made sure he was ok. Had that happened here uninsured, I'd have been brickin it.

I'm not trying to bicker with you, really I'm not...this is no pizzing contest. I'm just trying to explain my perspective cos it seems like we're having a communication issue. Have a great night!

You can get as smarmy and as clever as you like. The NHS is NOT FREE. I don't care how many times you post it. Further more, don't you ever presume me to be as stupid as anyone who would bow to your bullying tactics on a message board. I already understand what it's like and I will NEVER presume that you know more or less than me. All I know is what my experiences are and the general trend and feeling about the NHS in the UK by UK subjects and citizens. The people who benefit the most from it are the people who pay sweet FA into it.

I'm not getting into a "pizzing" contest as you put it. What I do know is what I would say to your face if you were sat in front of me arguing the way you do with your "I know it all better than everyone else" attitude. I know what I feel. I know what I see and I know what is going on here in the UK now. I'm not going to be swayed by some sweet talk on a message board as to what my feelings about the NHS are supposed to be. So you had a good experience with the NHS. Bully for you. You were one of the lucky few. The NHS is in a bad way and GENERALLY speaking, (not personally), the country sees it the same way. This is a fact.

no one's asking you to bow. It was an exchange of ideas, don't get yourself so wound up!

Honestly-after a " heartbreaking 128 day wait " for your NOA2, and your fiancee there NOW-why on earth are you arguing about the NHS on a message board? I would have thought you had better things to do-I know I would.
PS-as for dental being cheap in the States, I spent more on my dental cosmetics than I did on my car-and I have a nice car.......

I get wound up when people try to belittle and convince me I'm wrong about something I know, still experience and live with. You may add a laughing smiley if you wish. I'm not going to discuss something lightly when the subject is responsible for my dad's death.

So I had a long wait. Does that exclude me from all other subject matter from this point forward?
It's not just expensive to have dental care in the UK. It's extortionate. So extortionate that a lot of people, myself included, forego a lot of treatment because even under NHS pricing, it is still unaffordable, and I'm not talking about cosmetics, I'm talking about root fillings, extractions and the likes.

I'm terribly sorry for your tragedy, but just as you have an opinion, so do i. I'm not sat here trying to change your mind. Just having a conversation...no need to take offense when I went out of my way to make it clear I was just relaying my perspective.

You and I have differences of opinion on many things...but you're the one constantly name calling. I really don't understand why you feel the need to insult me as you do...if you personally have an issue with me, then feel free to ignore me...but if you're going to address me in future, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't resort to name calling and insults just because I have a difference of opinion.

Anyways, I'll let you go, cos wow it's late for you!

In regards to " the wait"-I just thought that you would be more interested in spending the time with your fiancee, sorry if I was wrong.
As far as the cost of dental-I lived/went to school/worked in the UK for 23 years-my family are all British--trust me--if you think English dental prices are extortionate (even non-cosmetic)--just wait until you need a filling, x-ray or even a clean here.
Have a nice evening!

Well I don't consider voicing my opinion about your consistent holier than thou attitude or accusing you of being smarmy, "constant name calling". I have not once called you any name. List the names I have called you and please explain how it could be considered "constant".

Your opinion was to tell me that the NHS is free. It is not. Someone, (the taxpayer), pays for it. This is not a perspective, and my offence was to your way of trying to make it sound like I didn't know what I was talking about. My advise to you is the same as yours. Ignore me if you don't like what I have to say but don't tell me what the NHS is like or make me out to be rude just because I don't agree with you.

Anyways, don't patronise me. I work nights.

I'm getting plenty of quality time with Tracy. Thank you for your concern.
I already have my dental solution plotted out. We have investigated it fully already. It will cost me a fraction of the cost here to have the work done that I need once I get to the US.

You're taking a strong & very vocal opinion which I have and turning it into a personal offense...when my response has nothing to do with you...you're all full of pizz and vinegar at me as if my opinion was formed solely or even partly to personally offend you.








I am neither machine-like, nor an automaton, am not attempting to sway your opinion, nor am I attempting to patronize/belittle/condescend/bully/etc...I've actually been quite sincere in my posts & have gone out of the way to put the disclaimers of 'this is just my opinion' as I explain the reasoning behind the opinion that I have. I've made no personally disparaging comments against you and instead of you affording me the same respect, you have to find a way to make things personal. Obviously we do not get along but I'm not going to sit here and call you names.

In regards to the NHS, you said 'I know what I feel. I know what I see and I know what is going on here...' yet you refuse to give me the same consideration. Pity.

I had no idea you worked nights. I was actually being sincere. Go figure!

If you can't stick to topic, then please put me on ignore. There's really no need to give me...someone you apparantly cannot stand...so much attention!

In all 3 of your examples I have not called you one single name. Your accusation of my "consistent name calling" is unfounded.

I have no doubt your posts are sincere in your mind. I have only stated my opinion and that is that I take offence at your posting style which, whether you like it or not, is insulting to me, hence my ruffled feathers.

Sticking with the NHS I afforded you the moment to say that you think the NHS is free and that is is a good thing in YOUR experience. As I bolded previously I was not only talking from ongoing personal experiences but from a general point of view of UK dwellers/voters/taxpayers. I'm not denying that for some the NHS is a godsend, but for the majority it is severely lacking.

As far as putting you on ignore. No chance. You put me on ignore if you have a problem with me. It's not personal. I'll take a contrary position with anyone who I disagree with. That just happens to be you in two topics so far. Hardly a campaign, so please don't make it sound like I'm targeting you in particular, and don't get a parting shot in when asking me to put you on ignore.

Considering the nature of our posts here in this thread, you'll forgive me if your sincerity about the lateness of the hour for me passed me by.

Finally, I would like to say that £200 for a medical is a rip off. NHS or private.

You missed the point completely!

Oh silly me. I'm sorry, I must be going potty to have missed it. Don't worry tho. I'll send out a search party to see if you ever had one.

Oh hell yes, this is my personal experience only (and I've been REALLY lucky). I know that there is HUGE amounts of dissatisfaction amongst the British public regarding the NHS.

Again, all I can say is that it depends on the area you live in. Postcode lottery and all that.

This has gone completely OT but I really want to know the answer to this...

My NHS crown - 85 quid (from a central London dentist)
My private UK dentist crown - 270 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (from same dentist above)
My US crown - $890 without insurance. Insurance pays half.

My NHS white filling - 12 quid
My private UK white filling - 80 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half. (same dentist again)
My US white filling - $260 without insurance.

My NHS tooth extraction - 15 quid
My private UK dentist tooth extraction - 35 quid without insurance. US Insurance pays half.
My US tooth extraction - $120 without insurance. This is after shopping around and getting prices from $150 - $250.


I live in a small state where prices are considered low for such dental work in the US. As you can see above, they are way more expensive than the NHS and UK private dentists. I shopped around for my dentist over here and on to my 3rd one who will offer somewhat reasonable prices. I have what many would consider very good health insurance but can't get good price on dental insurance. Basically my insurance will pay for 2 cleanings a year plus half of all dental work up to $700 a year. One crown and a filling can use that money and then I'm stuck until the next year. When I travel back to the UK I try and make a point of getting dental work done privately because it's so much cheaper.

It looks like I have crappy teeth, but I honestly don't ....I got all this work done in preparation for braces.

Anyway, I am being sincere here. Gone, could you please share with me your prospective insurance company that will offer such a great price on your dental work compared to the NHS. I simply haven't found one but would love to -- especially one that can be cheaper than NHS. It could save me a lot of $$$ in the long run and I see a root canal in the horizon costing me another $700+ with insurance.

You can PM me if you don't want to post such information in public.
Thanks.