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The Spectacle Blog
As America heads down the path of government control over medical spending and treatment, it is worth looking across “the Pond” at Great Britain. How’s socialized medicine working out over there after several decades? Great!
Health service trusts are “imposing pain and inconvenience” by making patients wait longer than necessary, in some cases as long as four months, the study found.
Executives believe the delays mean some people will remove themselves from lists “either by dying or by paying for their own treatment” claims the report, by an independent watchdog that advises the NHS.
The Co-operation and Competition Panel says the tactic is one of a number used by managers that “excessively constrain” patients’ rights to choose where to be operated upon, and damage hospitals’ ability to compete for planned surgery.
It claims unfair practices are “endemic” in some areas of England and pose a “serious risk” to the Government’s drive to open up the health service to competition.
Well, the patients involved were probably a bunch of hypochondriacs. And certainly their lives and well-being weren’t nearly as important as saving the government a few pounds. Anyway, the politicians know best. So why should anyone complain?
Just like in America in coming years.
We have seen the future, and it is grim. Americans should start planning to helpfully “remove themselves from lists” just like in Great Britain. That will make the government’s job a lot easier!
Occam's Tool| 7.30.11 @ 1:29AM
To see more details on America under an NHS, check out The New Zealand herald website, and punch in "District Health Boards."
Alice | 7.30.11 @ 1:39AM
Keep sounding the trumpet! I lived there...have a Brit for a husband...he lives in fear of becoming ill while visiting there. We have three brother in laws dead at around age forty...his brother dead at age 50...cousins in their thirties dead...from illnesses that were treatable...waiting lists are fine for the healthy. Socialized care is fine for the healthy...the ones who woud probably get well in time....for the rest....a wing and a prayer.
Have you considered| 7.30.11 @ 7:13AM
And if you actually get admitted to hospital, you better have some family member remember to bring you drinking water...wouldn't want to die from dehydration ya know.
It is so sad to read the stories in the British press.
NHS is such a prevalent topic, it actually has a "topic button" on The Daily Mail's menu bar.
Cmarie| 8.17.11 @ 6:11AM
Yeah, waiting lists are no good for sick people. Instead they should have what we have in America. Outrageously overpriced health care that most people can't afford, and insurance companies who drop you as soon as you get sick.
jlrlee| 7.30.11 @ 10:33AM
I still think that the feds should send any US citizen needing non-emergency hospital-required health care to India for treatment. It would be a lot cheaper and the health care is just as good there as in the US. Actually there are a lot of countries who could take Americans in for healthcare and it would help their economy and help the US out of the financial mess of health care costs that will only get worse in the coming decades.
Pecos Pete| 7.30.11 @ 10:51AM
I like your idea. We'll export patients.
Paul Nelson| 7.31.11 @ 8:48AM
We ALREADY export patients. I have metastatic kidney cancer, which needs to be monitored every couple of months with a CT scan (about $7,500 at local third rate hospital) and an MRI scan (about $10,000.)
Instead I fly to Manila (about $1000 airfare) and have the scans done at one of the best imaging centers in Asia (a total of about $1000 for both)
Occam's Tool| 7.30.11 @ 2:25PM
No, No it isn't "just as good,"jlrlee. Their best come here.
9th ID| 7.30.11 @ 10:39AM
To top it off, tens of thousands of Canadians come to the States every year for the same reasons. If we let ObamaCare destroy the greatest healthcare system in the world, then where will we go when faced with 6-month waits for treatment? Any first-year medical student knows that early detection and treatment is the key factor in maintaining wellness. The smart money will invest in Medical Tourism to the likes of Costa Rica if ObamaCare is not repealed and replaced...
Cmarie| 8.17.11 @ 6:16AM
According to the World Health Organization, France has the greatest health care system in the world. Socialized also. The USA was ranked #37.
Pecos Pete| 7.30.11 @ 10:56AM
Imagine a quality hospital located at American Samoa (as a trust territory are they included in ObamaaCare?) or some other south Pacific island. Quality care accompanied by quality recovery.
Islander's Hospital for you and your family away from the costs and regulations of ObamaCare.
Heck, if you like it they might let you immigrate.
Wayne | 7.30.11 @ 1:22PM
We don't have to wait. Thanks to the FDA it is already happening.
TruthSayer| 7.30.11 @ 1:26PM
Look for an all-cash market to prosper under Obamacare. There will be those (most Americans) who succumb to the temptation of the government tit. Others will pay cash (me) and get the same great healthcare that is available now to most Americans.
Calm Down| 7.31.11 @ 1:10AM
I never see alarmist articles like this about the other social medicine systems that work. Cherry picking examples doesn't help you appear unbiased.
carrstone| 7.31.11 @ 7:56AM
Don't get all sarky, Bandow, this one's your fault, too! You sowed the seed with your Marshall Plan. The Germans built their economic miracle with it - the Brits spent it on building their own entitlement program. Not going so good, right now.
vitadMD| 7.31.11 @ 12:09PM
I've seen the future, brother... It is murder...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_drEFOaPaK8
Rickc| 7.31.11 @ 4:49PM
Hate to tell you all this but this is the same thing that US insurance companies are doing NOW. My sister had heart valve surgery in January, 2011. She is a 66 yr old RN and wants to keep working as long as possible. her insurance refused to allow for a pacemaker as part of the procedure despite her doctors strongly advocating for it to the point of offering to waive their fees if allowed. They said she would have to wait 90 days.
After only marginal improvement over 90 days she was allowed a pacemaker. A month after that she was able to go back to work.
The bottom line is the carrier was willing to bet the additional $9,000.00 cost of the 2rd procedure against saving $23,000.00 for the pacemaker if my sister could have just died in that 90 days.
Jay Dee| 7.31.11 @ 6:33PM
Gee Rickc if your sister is 66 that means she is on Medicare. Yes Medicare is a bad insurance policy because they refuse treatment more than private insurance does.
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