As it goes in Britain, so it will eventually go here if the Democrats have their way to force socialized medicine on the United States,

Record numbers of Britons are travelling abroad for medical treatment to escape the NHS - with 70,000 patients expected to fly out this year.

And by the end of the decade 200,000 "health tourists" will fly as far as Malaysa and South Africa for major surgery to avoid long waiting lists and the rising threat of superbugs, according to a new report.

The first survey of Britons opting for treatment overseas shows that fears of hospital infections and frustration of often waiting months for operations are fuelling the increasing trend.

Patients needing major heart surgery, hip operations and cataracts are using the internet to book operations to be carried out thousands of miles away.

India is the most popular destination for surgery, followed by Hungary, Turkey, Germany, Malaysia, Poland and Spain. But dozens more countries are attracting health tourists.

Research by the Treatment Abroad website shows that Britons have travelled to 112 foreign hospitals, based in 48 countries, to find safe, affordable treatment.

Almost all of those who had received treatment abroad said they would do the same again, with patients pointing out that some hospitals in India had screening policies for the superbug MRSA that have yet to be introduced in this country.

..."People are simply frightened of going to NHS hospitals, so I am not surprised the numbers going abroad are increasing so rapidly.

"My fear is that most people can't afford to have private treatment – whether in this country or abroad."

Low prices in India, where flights, hotels and a heart bypass cost less than half the price charged by British private hospitals, explain its top ranking in the survey by Treatment Abroad, a British website providing information on hospitals overseas.

Hungary's popularity rests on a boom in dentistry, thanks to a shortage of NHS dentists in Britain.

Ridiculous waits to get surgery, superbugs, and shortages of dentists -- thank you, socialized medicine! Don't you look forward to the day when you have to fly to India or Hungary because you're "simply frightened of going" to a Hillary hospital?

Of course, they'll assure you that won't happen. Why, you'll get coverage just as good as you're getting today, from the same doctor, but they'll use some rich guy's taxes to pay for it, so it'll be "free" to you.

That's how they sell it, then a few years later you're paying more taxes than you ever thought possible and wait a year to get skull replacement surgery or fly to India to get your head put back together.

Just remember, TANSTAAFL*, my friend, TANSTAAFL.

* There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.