"Experiencing Two Healthcare Systems" by Maggie Williamson
June 9th , 2015, just eight months post-transplant, my English husband and I found ourselves with bags packed, possessions sold, and sentimental items packed in a box on its way to the UK.
We were leaving the place we loved, sunny California, in search of better health care. I was still in such a vulnerable spot, my health was still up and down, but we had to go, had to get away from the madness of the American health system that wasn’t treating me well and driving my husband to an early grave.
We did as much research as we could about the NHS for me. My husband knew the UK health system superficially and felt it was good, but we truly didn’t know how well it would work for me. We had contacted the transplant hospital weeks before arriving to make sure they would take me as a patient and be ready for me on arrival.
The day I arrived in the UK, I already had a GP appointment lined up and by day 3 in my new country, I was seeing my transplant team. Everyone was so lovely and so caring, I immediately felt that I would be taken care of. Fast forward 9 years later, here we are. Still in blustery, cold, grey blighty, wishing for the sun of California. Tom and I know all too well how difficult it is to have my needs met without too much of a fight, so we stay here in the UK.
The NHS is not perfect by any stretch and the pandemic has put it into a terrible spot. Wait times are long in every sector of medicine. But for a person with a severe chronic illness, like CF and transplant, I still get excellent care without insurance companies calling me to say they won’t pay for this treatment or cover that medicine. I get all of my medicines for free because I have diabetes, that is an NHS rule. I have pharmacies calling me to schedule my next delivery and no pre authorization hoops to jump through. I have all the latest and greatest diabetes technology and all the same medications my friends have in the states.
We know as patients how hard juggling our disease is plus trying to live our regular lives, adding the stress of insurance calls and pleading with representatives that you do truly need that medication is exhausting, I don’t miss it.
Living in another country can be difficult, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, I miss family events, I miss old friends, but the price of good, universal healthcare is actually priceless. I wish everyone could experience two different types of healthcare systems in their life time. It is so interesting to compare the two and I could write a book (maybe I will) at length about the differences and similarities. I do miss the fancy inpatient beds, and the better food, but I do feel so privileged the UK took me in and has given me some of the best care of my life!