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Example 1 is car insurance, not health insurance, so not really apples to apples. Being able to drive is not the same as being able to access healthcare. Example 2 is private healthcare insurance, which does exist in the UK, but only about 10-15% of the population have it, and it's mostly about getting access to healthcare provision faster. These private providers can of course do what they like, same as in the US, with the caveat that everybody is entitled to free, comprehensive healthcare through the NHS if they don't have private healthcare insurance. However, folks that can afford to sometimes like to skip the queue. It's worth noting I suppose that the UK has significantly more in the way of 'sin taxes' than the US. For example, tax on cigarettes is 16.5% of the retail price plus £6.69 ($8.73) on a packet of 20, meaning on average cigarettes retail for around £15 (~$20). This compares to the US average of somewhere around $3 tax and retail of around $10 (varying based on state). It's more complicated to calculate for alcohol, but again, the UK taxes alcohol more heavily than the US. This additional tax revenue helps to fund the treatment of those who use those substances (although to be clear, it doesn't cover it fully). |