Hopefully the little guy will be OK. We have private insurance in USA, but service is probably closer to what you have in UK and it has really gone downhill in the last 5 years or so. We also have pretty high deductibles. For example my plan is great and is the highest I can pay for through my employer and still it is $300 deductible per person per visit up to $2,500 per year. And emergency room out of pocket is $6,600 and $12,900 per family.