Thank you

True, but likely nowhere near as much as if he'd had to pay the full cost from his own pocket. In fact you and I both helped pay for it. That's the beauty of the NHS. For all its faults, by collectively all chipping in relatively small amounts each month, we cover the cost of providing (most) healthcare to all so none of us are hit with crippling bills or are too scared to visit a GP because we can't afford it. It's not a perfect system of course, but mostly it's better than alternatives.