Government-run health care in Great Britain has imposed huge costs on patients and businesses by denying treatments and medications, despite the fact that the National Health System (NHS) ran a $4.67 billion surplus in 2007, says Krystle Russin of the Heartland Institute. According to the National Center for Policy Analysis: Ø Great Britain lost a total of $208 billion in the overall economy to illness and treatment. Ø This figure includes $127 billion in potential earnings based on productivity, $81 billion in paid governmental health leave and $50 billion in direct costs to friends and family members tasked with caring for the ill. NHS's negative effect on the British economy, especially while the programme itself is running a large financial surplus, is causing tension within the government and among British citizens, says Russin. For example: Ø An April Gallup poll showed only 7 per cent of British citizens were very satisfied with their health care system. Ø Twenty-five per cent of those polled said they were extremely dissatisfied with their care. Ø Another 27 per cent were somewhat dissatisfied. | Analysts credit the more incentive-based American system for the lower overall cost and higher productivity found in U.S. health care, particularly in comparison to the government-centred British health care apparatus, says Russin. Source: Krystle Russin, Britain's Health Care System Costs Patients and Businesses Billions, Heartland Institute, July 1, 2008. For text: http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23434”>http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23434 For study text: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=15717”>http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=15717 For more on Health Issues: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=16”>http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=16 HPU Policy Bulletin/ 3 July 2008 | 