One thing here in the states is, doctors are so afraid of making mistakes because they might sued, so they play it safe. They don't want to misdiagnose, which might also be a problem in the UK. I don't know. In the states, if anything goes wrong, there's attorney somewhere looking to secure a reputation. Insurance plans dictate medical procedures. If your uncle likes the system, it's likely because he's got good insurance. He may be rich enough to get by without it, though now, thanks to Obamacare, there's a penalty if you don't have it. Some people have opted to pay the penalty until it's no longer financially feasible, or in hopes that a Republican Party can overturn Obamacare (it won't). On the whole, rich people do have it better than poor people (though few will admit it even if they're aware of it). And that's true in just about everything.