Whenever we talk about healthcare in the US, inevitably the comparison with other countries pops up. This is a good thing, but we need to look at all aspects.
To an American who longs for other countries' "free" healthcare, I will ask if they have looked to see how much their citizens pay in taxes. To a foreigner who says that their system is superior, I will ask if they know how much lower in taxes an American pays? There's never anything "free".
It is true that we spend a lot more on healthcare per capita compared to other countries. But how does shifting the cost to the government fix the problem if it turns around and taxes us more? We cannot fix a problem until we identify its source. Reducing the cost is not done by shifting it around, just to have it come back on our shoulders.
We relocate to the UK next year* and I have already done a detailed tax estimate for what we will pay for our circumstances.
We have a mixture of pensions, interest, qualified dividends and capital gains. Like the US, the UK taxes its residents on their worldwide income. Roth distributions are free of UK tax which is why I have been so aggressive in conversions this past 5 years.
We will pay ~$3k more in income taxes than in the US ($9k instead of $6k). (We live in Texas so no State income tax).
Cost of a prescription for 2016 will be ~$12.50, although seniors get free prescriptions regardless of income, as do minors, pregnant women and various other groups. Seniors also get free bus passes, free eye tests, discount rail fares etc.
When I lived in England a prescribed drug was 5 pounds 80, about $10 at the time. This was true for a cheap generic drug or an expensive drug. So I think there was cost sharing there too. I doubt you could determine what the health system was paying for a specific drug based on the cost at the chemist. But then, drugs like Viagra were not covered at that time. They saw this as not medically necessary.
My BIL has been on Viagara for quite a number of years now and that is a prescription. I doubt that it is free as he and his wife have good paying jobs.
Year to date we have spent $11.3k on HI, deductibles and copays. Last year it was $7.8k, 2013 it was $8.1k. The previous 3 years we only spent between $3k and $4k per year but in those years the premiums were only $80/mo and we were much fitter. 2016 we'll be paying $697/mo
Only after we have experienced it first hand instead of through our friends and relatives will I be able to say whether it is better or worse, but it is certainly going to be a lot less expensive.
We have already done a trial run of living in the town we will be moving back to (7 months in a rented unfurnished 3 bedroom detached house) so I know house prices, property taxes etc. For the size of house we will look to buy it will cost ~$380k and the property taxes will be ~$2.5k/year. Overall living costs look to be similar to what we have here in Texas, some things are much cheaper like bread, internet and cell phones, other things, like gas and diesel, are much more expensive.
*We are moving back for emotional reasons (family and friends) , not financial or because 1 country is somehow better than the other.