>>First of all, who said that she was incapable of looking after herself? She has had some recent health issues, but with the exception of the last couple of months, she has been just fine and quite capable of working - she is, after all, only 42 years old.

Well, you said she'd spent the last month going in and out of ER's for severe diverticulitis. I suppose she could be expected to fit in a job around that, but it seems unlikely. You also said she had bladder surgery and had new teeth for free. Sounds like full schedule Medicaid.

>>Actually, the fact that the government takes away almost half of my income in order to redistribute it to people who they seem to think deserve it more than I do does have a real impact on my lifestyle.

Only if others are able to sleaze their way out of the taxes. Otherwise you're keeping up with the Joneses just as you always did- assuming you assess prosperity in relation to your neighbors rather than as a blanket expectation that prosperity is determined by how much you keep for yourself.

>>Back in 1998, Andy needed arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He was in constant pain and could barely walk. If he had wanted to wait to have his surgery through the NHS, he would have had to wait 2 years - 2 years of excruciating pain because his problem was not life threatening...

Since 2008 the maximum wait to start consultant-led care in the UK is 18 weeks, with constant severe pain one of the indicators to be seen quicker. FWIW, this year's Commonwealth survey puts the NHS top in most respects and top overall in the free world. The US came last.

>> That is the problem with socialized medicine - it is just a way to ration medical services.

It's not a problem- it's a reality, since unrationed healthcare will cheerfully consume the entire GDP. The US has rationing too and you also pay the most by far for a service that comes last in the free world in the comparisons every year.

>>I was very happy with my surgeon here in the states, thank you. What evidence do you have that the quality of my hip replacement would have been better if I had had it in New Zealand instead of in the states?

I didn't say that- I quoted a Commonwealth study about healthcare in various jurisdictions.