Health squeeze: UK's free healthcare under threat

Across Britain, an increasing number of patients are facing more pain and longer waits. That's because the National Health Service is being forced to trim 20 billion pounds ($31 billion) from its budget by 2015, as part of the most radical changes made since the system was founded more than 60 years ago. For many hospitals, that means saving money by raising the threshold for who qualifies for treatment and extending waiting times for non-lifesaving surgeries. In January, the government introduced a new health bill that many fear will bring even more draconian cuts and competition from private providers.