I'm an American living in the UK... here's why universal healthcare is not all ... trends now
Many Americans look across the pond with envy at the fact the UK has universal healthcare - while viewing the US system as greedy and unforgiving.
But those who have actually moved to Britain and have first-hand experience of the National Health Service (NHS) paint a very different picture.
DailyMail.com spoke to US expats who felt 'terrified' about missing important screenings due to abysmally long wait times.
Many revealed they were shocked by 'free' healthcare not actually being free and were blindsided by high taxes and extra fees required by foreigners.
However, others told DailyMail.com it made them feel more financially secure and less anxious about seeking care.
It comes as the NHS faces grim approval ratings from UK citizens, with less than a quarter of people claiming they are satisfied with the care.
The chief complaint among Britons is wait times, which have soared to record highs following the pandemic.
Andrea Jones - who lived in London for eight years - learned this first-hand.
The professional singer, 38, originally from California, injured her vocal cords and was told she'd have to wait six months for physical therapy.
She would not have been able to make money without, so she had to pay for private care out of her own pocket.
'I basically had to pay for someone on my own because I didn't have the time to wait,' she told DailyMail.com.
Physical therapy isn't the only service facing long wait times.
It takes roughly four months to see a dentist.
And for elective surgeries like knee or hip replacement, British patients can expect to wait as long as four months on average, and up to two years - whereas the average wait time in the US in a few weeks.
Additionally, recent NHS data showed one in five patients waited as long as six week after being referred for 'urgent' scans to detect cancer.
Nicole, a mother-of-three who has lived in several different countries, said that she had trouble getting a mammogram under UK screening guidelines, despite having a family history. She called the lack of preventative care 'scary'
Despite this, Ms Jones noted while there are pros and cons to each system, she misses knowing she could always be covered under the NHS.
'There was that security of knowing I could access care and afford it,' she said.
A TikToker named Sean, who moved from the US to the UK in 2017, posted a TikTok in late 2022 where he said despite misconceptions from other Americans and Brits, the NHS is still costly, especially for foreigners.
'The NHS is not free. It's actually very expensive,' he said. 'When I say the NHS is expensive, it's expensive for the quality of service that you get.'
Sean, who moved from the US to the UK in 2017, said that NHS care 'is expensive for the quality of service that you get,' especially when extra fees for foreigners add up
Total US healthcare spending - that includes what the government as well as insurance companies and individuals pay for - ticked past $4.3 trillion in 2021, nearly a fifth of the country’s annual GDP
Sean, who moved from the US to the UK in 2017, said one of the main misconceptions among Americans is that the NHS is truly 'free.'
He noted most Americans are not aware the NHS is paid for through taxes.
Someone making £50,000 ($62,000), for example, could be expected to pay eight to 10 percent - £4,000 to £5,000 ($5,000 to $6,200) - though the exact rate varies.
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