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Sicko

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Sicko
One of the main differences between the American healthcare system and the English healthcare system is, that in America the healthcare system is based on insurance. Often you have insurance through your job, but if you are unemployed you have to buy insurance privately, and it can be very expensive so many Americans do not have any insurance, and if you do not have insurance you do not get any treatment. In England you do not have to be insured, healthcare is free for all Englishmen, because the English healthcare system is financed through taxes. The insurance system in America is maybe an advantage for few people, but the people without a job and those who do not earn so much money are often without insurance, and therefore they either get no treatment, or they have to pay for the treatment themselves. Often the treatment costs several thousand dollars and they cannot afford the treatment. In the film we get that exemplified by a man, who had sawed off two fingers, and he had to choose between the two fingers, because he could not afford to get both fingers replaced. In the film we also see examples of people who have insurance, but they do not get any treatment, because the insurance companies have people employed to find reasons not to pay for the treatment. In England you always get the treatment you need, although you do not pay taxes. That means that the poorest people in England can expect to live longer than the wealthiest man in America. Another difference between the American and the English healthcare system is the cost of the medicine. In America you have to pay full price for the medicine yourself, in England it costs 6,65 pounds even if you need to have 1000 pills, and if you are under 16 or over 60 the medicine is free.

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