Its in... Mid 30s implanted with Rigicon Infla10 AX on NHS UK

[splitpeach]

splitpeach, I could ask " how can you really know you're getting the best advice and care when government bureaucrats, who face no competition from anyone else, are the gatekeepers ? "

I respect the pros and cons. Private healthcare is far from perfect, and socialized medicine is far from perfect. But I've had private healthcare for almost 60 years and wouldn't trade it. I appreciate the ability to choose for myself, and shop my healthcare dollars to find what works best for me. And for me, that easily beats being forced to rely on unaccountable government bureaucrats.

- Chuck

I've had private healthcare before. How can you really know you're getting the best advice and care when money is involved.

Well, it depends on the public healthcare system, I can only speak about the NHS in that regard. NHS is clinical need, if you need it, you get it. There are so many checks and standards in place to ensure the standard of treatment is appropriate, necessary and adequate. You can't just walk in with ED and get an implant right away, you have to exhaust the treatment process.

That said, the main drawback or potential upside of NHS is that you can choose to be referred to any consultant / department in the country for your condition. Some trusts are more restrictive than others so you have to do your research and work like you would do privately.

They have the latest treatments, equipment and products because often the NHS departments are performing world leading research and training.

They cannot offer you anything that is not a proven / supported treatment like many private practices will. For example there is no "P Shot" available on the NHS because its bullshit and doesn't have sufficient clinical evidence to support it. But if it works and there's evidence for it there will be a department somewhere in the country that offers that treatment and from some of the best medical practitioners in the world.

You may ask why do world leading medical practitioners provide their services on a public healthcare system. The answer is:

1) They mostly get to live in London and have their own private practices on the side in a major international city with a lot of rich private clients.

2) I think the NHS pension is pretty great.

3) It gives them access to a large organization and to be able to participate in research and trials at that scale with those resources.

It has its drawbacks for sure. Wait times is the biggest one. No frills care (Prison food is probably better), minimal aftercare (you get what you need not what you want), no hand holding (if the treatment requires you to do exercises you're given the exercises and sent on your way, if you don't do them, that's your problem)

But for anyone that's serious about their health, pro active and can pack a lunch I really believe it trumps private care from a treatment perspective.

There are so many checks too. I've had private care, where because its an independent hospital, the oversight and accountability is much smaller. I remember having surgery in a fancy central London hospital once and they ran out of ice packs on the day and stopped serving food by the time I'd come out of surgery. Only way to hold them to account is to sue them. NHS is taxpayer funded so everything is logged and reviewed for standards and they have a very serious complaints procedure.

Its not perfect, but for free and peace of mind, I think it's amazing. Other countries I can't speak about. I lived abroad in the past where the healthcare system was insurance based. It was a nightmare. Some treatment I had to pay first and claim back the costs. I had an excess on some issues and eventually hit my limit and couldn't receive any more insurance payouts for the care. I was paying a decent amount every month as a very healthy young man too. Terrible experience.

NHS is getting abused though. Certain things should not be given the time of day. If you get free healthcare I think you should be obligated to live a reasonably healthy lifestyle.

Could be argued that a penile implant is not absolutely necessary... But I for one I'm glad it's available and with whatever implant model you want from a leading surgeon too.

[browny30]

Definitely, with the NHS, if it's not an emergency you have a long wait, which lets face it, as much as being impotent sucks it's not an emergency. However if you need something done quickly it does get prioritised.

I did have Bupa healthcare at one point and tbf, when I needed a mri scan for my back, I got it within the week, NHS would have been months. I can see some benefit for private healthcare

But I can't pretend US healthcare is great, if it was, the Ceo from the luigi Mangione case would still be alive. (I am not condoning anything, this is Luigis reason).

Also watching the Michael Moore documentary was shocking, people being kicked out of hospitals because their health insurance only paid for a few days, not as much as the patient needed.

It's not about being socialist, if there's a construct that works then it should be implemented.

[Kodixx]

splitpeach & browny30, as I said before, both approaches have their pros and cons. Three thoughts though:

1) the murder of Mangione was a deranged tragedy, no different than a deranged person committing murder because of their frustrations with socialized medicine would be. That one-off murder is not representative of private healthcare any more than a single tragedy in socialized medicine would be representative of all socialized medicine.

2) IMHO Michael Moore is an extremist and anything he creates is one-sided with an agenda. Do yourself a favor and don't use him as a point of reference. I'm sure he could do a documentary on socialized medicine and come up with something that was just as shocking.

3) I keep hearing "free". Socialized medicine is absolutely not "free", we know that right ?

Again, I'm glad your experiences with socialized medicine has served your needs. That said, based on my experiences over almost 60 years, I will happily keep my private healthcare for all the reasons I listed above One of our significant challenge is keeping up with demand, from both people here and all the people coming from countries with socialized medicine to get care in a reasonable timeframe

- Chuck

[1984ptc]

I wish we had some sort of universal healthcare here in the us with an option to get commercial insurance as an add on. It may cause some discrepancies in health care options, but its better than the mess were in now in america where costs are out of control. I feel like it would actually drive down costs overall. Corporate greed drives innovations here but its always at the expense of patients.

[Kodixx]

1984ptc, I'd be ok with that, as long as it didn't affect my ability to spend my healthcare dollars as I want, or subject me to long lines and delayed treatments. However, socialized medicine is NOT the answer that meets my expectations.

- Chuck

I wish we had some sort of universal healthcare here in the us with an option to get commercial insurance as an add on.

[splitpeach]

1984ptc, I'd be ok with that, as long as it didn't affect my ability to spend my healthcare dollars as I want, or subject me to long lines and delayed treatments. However, socialized medicine is NOT the answer that meets my expectations.

- Chuck

I wish we had some sort of universal healthcare here in the us with an option to get commercial insurance as an add on.

Well, this is precisely what we have here in the UK. Free healthcare for all but also if you want private healthcare it's there also as well as health insurance.

The wait times are only on the NHS. If you decide to go private it's a totally different system. No wait times. That's why people make the choice to pay to go private if they don't want to wait.

There's a thriving private healthcare industry here which is interesting. A lot of it is for cosmetic surgery but not all, you can get whatever treatment you want privately. But I love the idea of not having to make a single phone call or complete a single form for an insurance company or sit lying in a bed worrying about all costs being covered.

NHS is the blanket safety net, but if you can afford it and want to, you can go private. But it's nice to have the choice.

I really do think in this day and age that's the bare minimum. Anyone can get sick and care shouldn't depend on whether you can afford it or get cover or not.

But, like we've said, it has its issues. I don't want to hear about people's mild anxiety, their gastric band or asthma as they're smoking 40 a day. Like with everything else, if it's free it'll get abused and the NHS is definitely being abused.