Roper-Harrison

Well, let's see. I'm a USC married to a Brit and presently a resident in England under a spousal visa which runs through July 2019. As a condition of approval for this extended stay I was required to register with NHS and pay a 500 GBP surcharge - about 800 USD at the time - for all service I received during my stay.  There are no other charges levied. No co-pay. No deductibles. Nada. This includes all medicines for me, since I am over 60. Again, no additional charges. That works out to about $28/month for healthcare that is in every sense comprehensive and, based upon my personal experience, readily and immediately available. My spouse, a British Citizen, pays about 20 GBP a month to participate in NHS. She gets the same services I do except that she must pay 8.5 GBP per prescription for any medicines she is taking - she is under 60.
 
In States I am a Medicare recipient - single payer for geezers. Medicare is also a paid service for recipients. It varies by year but this year it's running about 120 USD/month. I'm also a Social Security recipient so this amount is deducted from my SS allotment each month. I, like the vast majority of Medicare recipients (and all current wage earners), contributed to it over the course of my working career. It's a little more expensive than NHS and a bit more complicated what with it's various benefit partitions and the separate drug areas that are at additional cost. Too, I know of no Medicare program that covers 100% of the expenses incurred although some come close if you're in a position to take advantage of them. For one VA Medical Services are generally free except for co-pays. VA bills Medicare for the services it renders to Medicare recipients. If. like me, you are eligible to receive VA services it's a way to avoid using Medicare Part D - Drugs. Prescriptions are available through VA at (presently) 8 USD each. There are also now vision and dental benefits available. The other situation I am aware of is Kaiser Permanente Southern California. I lived in Los Angeles prior to moving to UK and was a member of the Kaiser HMO. In SoCal - but not everywhere in CA or other Kaiser Service Areas - there is no member premium for Medicare recipients. There are nominal visit and prescription co-pays that for me averaged about 35 USD/month. I have nothing but good things to say about both the VA and Kaiser services I received.
 
Based upon my personal experience in my now year here in UK I rate NHS as comparable to any of the services I received through VA, Kaiser, and, over most of my life, the private healthcare system in US. One can find horror stories anywhere, including in the most exclusive medical units in my former neighborhood in Beverly Hills. But the fact is that the more people who are covered by healthcare services the healthier they are. The Brits are a healthy lot and certainly no less so than their American cousins. Seems to me the big difference is that the citizens here are not held financially hostage to the pharmaceutical industry or to private medical practices and health insurers. The cost/benefit profile of NHS  (and, I suspect, nearly all single-payer systems around the globe) is significantly more positive than that of the US private healthcare system.
 
I'm not certain what we're going to do when we migrate back to US. Our monthly healthcare costs will skyrocket even though the service we receive will not in any manner change. So far as I'm concerned that's a travesty.

Well, let's see. I'm a USC married to a Brit and presently a resident in England under a spousal visa which runs through July 2019. As a condition of approval for this extended stay I was required to register with NHS and pay a 500 GBP surcharge - about 800 USD at the time - for all service I received during my stay.  There are no other charges levied. No co-pay. No deductibles. Nada. This includes all medicines for me, since I am over 60. Again, no additional charges. That works out to about $28/month for healthcare that is in every sense comprehensive and, based upon my personal experience, readily and immediately available. My spouse, a British Citizen, pays about 20 GBP a month to participate in NHS. She gets the same services I do except that she must pay 8.5 GBP per prescription for any medicines she is taking - she is under 60.
 
In States I am a Medicare recipient - single payer for geezers. Medicare is also a paid service for recipients. It varies by year but this year it's running about 120 USD/month. I'm also a Social Security recipient so this amount is deducted from my SS allotment each month. I, like the vast majority of Medicare recipients (and all current wage earners), contributed to it over the course of my working career. It's a little more expensive than NHS and a bit more complicated what with it's various benefit partitions and the separate drug areas that are at additional cost. Too, I know of no Medicare program that covers 100% of the expenses incurred although some come close if you're in a position to take advantage of them. For one VA Medical Services are generally free except for co-pays. VA bills Medicare for the services it renders to Medicare recipients. If. like me, you are eligible to receive VA services it's a way to avoid using Medicare Part D - Drugs. Prescriptions are available through VA at (presently) 8 USD each. There are also now vision and dental benefits available. The other situation I am aware of is Kaiser Permanente Southern California. I lived in Los Angeles prior to moving to UK and was a member of the Kaiser HMO. In SoCal - but not everywhere in CA or other Kaiser Service Areas - there is no member premium for Medicare recipients. There are nominal visit and prescription co-pays that for me averaged about 35 USD/month. I have nothing but good things to say about both the VA and Kaiser services I received.
 
Based upon my personal experience in my now year here in UK I rate NHS as comparable to any of the services I received through VA, Kaiser, and, over most of my life, the private healthcare system in US. One can find horror stories anywhere, including in the most exclusive medical units in my former neighborhood in Beverly Hills. But the fact is that the more people who are covered by healthcare services the healthier they are. The Brits are a healthy lot and certainly no less so than their American cousins. Seems to me the big difference is that the citizens here are not held financially hostage to the pharmaceutical industry or to private medical practices and health insurers. The cost/benefit profile of NHS  (and, I suspect, nearly all single-payer systems around the globe) is significantly more positive than that of the US private healthcare system.
 
I'm not certain what we're going to do when we migrate back to US. Our monthly healthcare costs will skyrocket even though the service we receive will not in any manner change. So far as I'm concerned that's a travesty.

Well, let's see. I'm a USC married to a Brit and presently a resident in England under a spousal visa which runs through July 2019. As a condition of approval for this extended stay I was required to register with NHS and pay a 500 GBP surcharge - about 800 USD at the time - for all service I received during my stay.  There are no other charges levied. No co-pay. No deductibles. Nada. This includes all medicines for me, since I am over 60. Again, no additional charges. That works out to about $28/month for healthcare that is in every sense comprehensive and, based upon my personal experience, readily and immediately available. My spouse, a British Citizen, pays about 20 GBP a month to participate in NHS. She gets the same services I do except that she must pay 8.5 GBP per prescription for any medicines she is taking - she is under 60.
 
In States I am a Medicare recipient - single payer for geezers. Medicare is also a paid service for recipients. It varies by year but this year it's running about 120 USD/month. I'm also a Social Security recipient so this amount is deducted from my SS allotment each month. I, like the vast majority of Medicare recipients (and all current wage earners), contributed to it over the course of my working career. It's a little more expensive than NHS and a bit more complicated what with it's various benefit partitions and the separate drug areas that are at additional cost. Too, I know of no Medicare program that covers 100% of the expenses incurred although some come close if you're in a position to take advantage of them. For one VA Medical Services are generally free except for co-pays. VA bills Medicare for the services it renders to Medicare recipients. If. like me, you are eligible to receive VA services it's a way to avoid using Medicare Part D - Drugs. Prescriptions are available through VA at (presently) 8 USD each. There are also now vision and dental benefits available. The other situation I am aware of is Kaiser Permanente Southern California. I lived in Los Angeles prior to moving to UK and was a member of the Kaiser HMO. In SoCal - but not everywhere in CA or other Kaiser Service Areas - there is no member premium for Medicare recipients. There are nominal visit and prescription co-pays that for me averaged about 35 USD/month. I have nothing but good things to say about both the VA and Kaiser services I received.
 
Based upon my personal experience in my now year here in UK I rate NHS as comparable to any of the services I received through VA, Kaiser, and, over most of my life, the private healthcare system in US. One can find horror stories anywhere, including in the most exclusive medical units in my former neighborhood in Beverly Hills. But the fact is that the more people who are covered by healthcare services the healthier they are. The Brits are a healthy lot and certainly no less so than their American cousins. Seems to me the big difference is that the citizens here are not held financially hostage to the pharmaceutical industry or to private medical practices and health insurers. The cost/benefit profile of NHS  (and, I suspect, nearly all single-payer systems around the globe) is significantly more positive than that of the US private healthcare system.
 
I'm not certain what we're going to do when we migrate back to US. Our monthly healthcare costs will skyrocket even though the service we receive will not in any manner change. So far as I'm concerned that's a travesty.

I seriously doubted Donald Trump would be elected president... sometimes things happen.  LOL
 
But OP as DCF in London you book your own medical and interview dates. 

I totally agree! it's like filing another I130 while in the US lol.

Oh, really?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration/trump-and-senators-seek-to-slash-legal-immigration-idUSKBN1AI1ZU

It would seem to be quite straightforward to ensure your husband PoEs on or after your second wedding anniversary. 
 
Apply around February/March and make sure you don't do the medical until April/May. Problem solved. 

Not always easy.
 
Agree with OP that it is one less thing to worry about and if possible, should plan so that they receive the IR visa instead of the CR1.
 
They will save money, save time (by not having to gather and submit evidence), and save stress.