Reply to: One for for Genghis Khan

[sasguru]

'From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs'

No fffing incentive to work, is there?

No incentive to work here either, everyfink being free, innit?

[sasguru]

Cant' be *rsed to read all that except to say "What DA said". Sound chap generally. (Apart from on globalisation and foxhunting)

I hate the word "sound". It's like "common sense". Usually people described as having those qualities are anything but.

[Lucy]

Not really a two-tier system. You pay some costs if you are working, on a sliding scale depending on income (for consultations and prescriptions), but not if you aren't. These fees are in any case subsidised by the state.

'From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs'

No fffing incentive to work, is there?

[sasguru]

So a two tier system then?

One of the taboos in British healthcare provision for every political party.

Not really a two-tier system. You pay some costs if you are working, on a sliding scale depending on income (for consultations and prescriptions), but not if you aren't. These fees are in any case subsidised by the state.
Chronic and long term conditions are free.
Seems fair enough to me.
Yes the NHS is a sacred cow that will eventually bankrupt this country.
The NHS is now the 3rd largest employer in the world after the Chinese Army and the Indian Railways.

[xoggoth]

Cant' be *rsed to read all that except to say "What DA said". Sound chap generally. (Apart from on globalisation and foxhunting)

[Zippy]

So a two tier system then?

One of the taboos in British healthcare provision for every political party.

I think the privatisation is good theory is avoiding getting what we already have in good shape. Won't the existing NHS staff just migrate over to the new companies anyway? How will that solve any possible issues with competence etc.?

[Moscow Mule]

So a two tier system then?

One of the taboos in British healthcare provision for every political party.

[sasguru]

But you have to pay for the French one - not so good for folks on benefits is it?

No. People on benefits don't. They have an NI system too. It just seems rather than the govt taking the money and running things centrally - that money is distributed to private companies which must compete and fulfil certain criteria.

[Moscow Mule]

You really are very ignorant, aren't you?

The World Health Organisation ranks all the health systems in the world depending on certain criteria like health outcomes, survival rates etc.
France usually comes top.

Plus anyone (including me) who has ever been in both systems will tell you there is no comparison. The NHS is much worse.

But you have to pay for the French one - not so good for folks on benefits is it?

[sasguru]

Who says??

I have never heard that, except from the silly frogs.

.

You really are very ignorant, aren't you?

The World Health Organisation ranks all the health systems in the world depending on certain criteria like health outcomes, survival rates etc.
France usually comes top.

Plus anyone (including me) who has ever been in both systems will tell you there is no comparison. The NHS is much worse.

[wendigo100]

Surely, if you are privately covered from birth, which is the essence of the vouchery business, then you won't have a pre-existing condition.

I also wonder how do other countries who are based on a competitive system invest in medical science? Isn't it good for business if you can cure people better?

1700 GBP is a lot more than the last quote I got for private care, so I suppose what I am asking is, for that money what is the NHS providing that private companies would not?

[HarryPearce]

1700 GBP? Good heavens, I never realised that.

Is this where the voucher system would come in?

Sorry, but too many are talking out of their rears here.

The private health system works only because it insures, and hence re-invests, the premiums paid. It must therefore minimise its risk which it does well.

As anyone with private cover will well know, you are not covered for any pre-existing condition chronic, acute or otherwise. Even if you should unfortunately have to claim ensure you have filled out all the previous forms very carefully. IIRC in the case of criticial health cover, for example, 20% of all claims are declined and not necessarily for any reason to do with the condition for which the claim is made.

Furthermore, I wonder how much investment do the private health insurance companies put into medical science? Or do they live of the developments made in academia or charitably funded institutions?

One suspects if they had to treat anyone on request and fund R&D premiums would rocket, after all the bonuses of the boys on the markets investing the premiums to generate the wealth to support the ill would have to be paid for.

[wendigo100]

If the cost of the NHS, approx 1700GBP per person, a year was used, instead, as payment to private health insurance you would get a really good service.

1700 GBP? Good heavens, I never realised that.

Is this where the voucher system would come in?

[HarryPearce]

He's an agent

Harrumph! Never been so insulted in all my life! Cryil Serpent and proud of it.

Day off todayso time for a bit of home studying.

[Lucy]

Isn't that the French model (Private hospitals competing for public money)? Which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, why can't we just copy it?

Who says??

I have never heard that, except from the silly frogs.

If the cost of the NHS, approx 1700GBP per person, a year was used, instead, as payment to private health insurance you would get a really good service.

Imagine...choice. Going to the doctor of your choosing.

I've lived in HK, Australia, NZ, USA and the UK health system is by and large the worst. I have to go to a doctor within a zone, the one I have chosen is rubbish, hard to get to see with the receptionist from hell. She knows nothing of the problem I am going to Australia to have treated and she can't read an ECG. She never smiles, she never gets out from behind her desk and it is a really big deal to move to another doctor without a good reason, ie moving house.

People here seem to think that the NHS is good because it's free, it might be 'free' but it's about as useful as Mr Humphries.