----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Paul" <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx> > What Judy's saying isn't entirely > clear Certain private hospitals here (perhaps, most) charge "self-payers" less than they'd "charge" someone with private health insurance (whose insurance company would be paying). That's for an op. but also, certain NHS consultants who also work in private hospitals will -- like the man who charged me 40/60 per cent of his usual consultation+test fee -- drop their fees for "self-payers". I assume this is a mix of deduction for cash and helpfulness towards people who aren't rich who either lack insurance or whose insurance is insufficiently comprehensive. I don't know whether totally private doctors (of whom there are few) do the same. Obviously the NHS remains free. I hope that's clear. Judy Evans, Cardiff ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html