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Universal health care rations treatments based on medical need - the most serious medical needs get treatment first.

Private health care rations treatments based on ability to pay.

I know which rationing system I prefer - for both ethical and pragmatic reasons.

"the most serious medical needs get treatment first"

If that's the definition of universal health care, no country I know has it, because there is no country I know of that has successfully banned cosmetic surgery.

Tell that to a burns victim or a kid with a harelip. Or a breast-cancer patient post mastectomy...

Reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery are not the same thing even though they use similar, and often the same, techniques.

I think that might be a usage thing: over here in the UK they're both plastic surgery, but you see it qualified as reconstructive plastic surgery or aesthetic plastic surgery.

Still, take birthmark removal: it's purely cosmetic, in a sense, but it makes such a difference to peoples' quality of life psychologically that it totally should be on the NHS if you ask me.

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