Question

The following is from an e-mail I received today. Is it true?

"In England no one over 59 can receive heart repairs or stents or bypass because it is not covered, as being too expensive and not needed."

7 Comments

No it's NOT TRUE

by SaraTB - 2010-04-26 04:04:53

No, it's most definitely NOT true!!!!

(I'm British, although I live in the USA. My father had very good treatment following two heart attacks, and had a quintuple bypass well past that age.)

I'm frankly appalled that such lies are being circulated around the web. I hope you send a reply to whoever sent it to you, asking them not to disseminate lies.

Now my pulse rate is racing!!!!

Not True

by Bill-2 - 2010-04-26 05:04:09

Simmer down Sara. I haven't sent it on to anyone because I figured it may be BS. But I have seen so much stuff that should have been pure BS turn out to be true these last few years, I thought I would check. I knew there were some Britishers that were members here and that was the reason for posting the question.

I had tried both Snopes and Truth or Fiction and did not find anything. I guess I didn't phrase my question the right way.

And yes I'll let the sender know it is not true.

Send them this from Snopes.com

by SaraTB - 2010-04-26 05:04:35

I checked on Snopes.com (the urban legend people) and they already have investigated this obnoxious, politically motivated email in circulation. You cannot copy sections from their pages, so I'm posting the link to their page. I strongly suggest you send it to whoever sent you the email, which is what I always do when receiving stuff like that.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/seniordeath.asp

OK, I'm off to calm down now.

I agree, but don't reply to sender

by ElectricFrank - 2010-04-27 01:04:41

Many of these type of emails, letters, and phone calls are designed to get you to respond. When you answer you supply or validate that your address is valid. With phone calls they are even getting sophisticated and record whatever you say. Then they extract your voice sounds/words and edit them into authorizing transactions.

The best thing to do is nothing. I keep an old Radio Shack device near the phone that has several buttons that when pressed give loud sound effects. If I'm in a mean mood I hold it next to the phone and try out a few before hanging up.

Bottom line: NEVER RESPOND

frank

No

by Genie - 2010-04-27 04:04:30

Definitely not true. I'm British, in the UK. I know loads of people a lot older than this who have had these procedures.

Nothing is 'covered' in the UK in terms of medical care. The NHS treats everyone according to their need regardless of age/finances. If your doctor says you need it, they do it!

Thank You

by Bill-2 - 2010-04-27 11:04:11

Thank you Renee how enlightening. I would have never known that if you hadn't told me.

Frank the e-mail came from someone I know and of course they dislike Obamacare and will never have a good word to say about it. However, as the weeks and months have gone by I have learned that much of the stuff, pro and con, about Obamacare are lies so I never just arbitrarily pitch something out as invalid. Especially when I knew there were Britishers here that could set the record straight. I was not trying to offend anyone, or pass on an untruth, I just wanted an answer from someone with personal experience with the health care system in Britain.

I hope this site is not getting to the point where we can't ask a question pertaining to heart disease in particular and health care in general without having someone go ballistic.

Going Ballistic

by ElectricFrank - 2010-04-27 11:04:39

We only go ballistic if our Rate Response is turned ON.

(:

frank

You know you're wired when...

You forecast electrical storms better than the weather network.

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