Interesting UK healthcare poll results...

[sukie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6342387.stm]

Many GPs ' prefer private care'

Nearly 40% of GPs would prefer to be treated privately rather than relying on the NHS, a survey says.

The poll of 1,723 doctors for Hospital Doctor magazine found 28% of GPs had private health care, compared to 22% of all doctors, including consultants.

Another 10% of the 602 GPs quizzed said they would like to take out private insurance.

Patients said the results showed family doctors lacked faith in the NHS, but GP leaders denied this.

The poll also showed a quarter of doctors had a physical disability, medical condition, psychological illness or a combination of all three.

When people involved in helping provide care don't feel comfortable to receive care you start to ask questions

Patients Association spokeswoman

Some 60% said they did not believe employers were doing enough to help doctors in terms of occupational health and flexible working practices.

Mayur Lakhani, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "I think the profession must get better at looking after itself and putting welfare first.

"The service needs to offer more in terms of occupational health."

But a spokeswoman for the Patients Association said it was worrying.

"When people involved in helping provide care don't feel comfortable to receive care you start to ask questions.

...more...

[Bellowing4DaBills]

That is interesting. I thought it would be a higher percentage amongst GPs.

[Green Lantern]

Is the point of this post that nationalized health care is bad?

[г]

Guinea Pigs get health care ?

[sukie]

Is the point of this post that nationalized health care is bad?

Yup. Obviously sub standard.

[twosheds]

Of course private health care is better, that's why you pay for it. If you can't or don't want to, you've got the NHS, but you have to endure long waiting periods.

[Green Lantern]

Yup. Obviously sub standard.

Well, if given the choice between no insurance and sub-standard, I am pretty sure almost every uninsured person in the US would choose sub-standard.

[35Pete]

Well, if given the choice between no insurance and sub-standard, I am pretty sure almost every uninsured person in the US would choose sub-standard.

Cool. Then let them pay their taxes and they can OPT into such a wonderful system.

Sorry. But I want excellent coverage. Not my fault their uninsured. Forgoe cable TV, internet, and everything but the basics. And if you still can't afford it then you were just dealt a bad hand.

Life's a bitch.

[Green Lantern]

Cool. Then let them pay their taxes and they can OPT into such a wonderful system.

Sorry. But I want excellent coverage. Not my fault their uninsured. Forgoe cable TV, internet, and everything but the basics. And if you still can't afford it then you were just dealt a bad hand.

Life's a bitch.


The way the system works in England, obviously, is that you can go and pay for your insurance if you don't like the national coverage. Why couldn't you still pay for your insurance?

[35Pete]

The way the system works in England, obviously, is that you can go and pay for your insurance if you don't like the national coverage. Why couldn't you still pay for your insurance?

That's the compromise aqua. That's it.

Two choices. OPT INTO National Health Insurance and pay a higher tax rate for your coverage, or....feel that you should not be compelled to work to insure others and also suffer lesser quality care then if you engaged in a PRIVATE CONTRACT, hence you OPT OUT, and go the private route.

It's a win-win, don't you think?

[Green Lantern]

That's the compromise aqua. That's it.

Two choices. OPT INTO National Health Insurance and pay a higher tax rate for your coverage, or....feel that you should not be compelled to work to insure others and also suffer lesser quality care then if you engaged in a PRIVATE CONTRACT, hence you OPT OUT, and go the private route.

It's a win-win, don't you think?

Why not? They would be the largest pool of customers and would probably get the best rates.

[35Pete]

Why not? They would be the largest pool of customers and would probably get the best rates.

Deal. Let's sign it. LOL

[Green Lantern]

Deal. Let's sign it. LOL

We just solved an intractable problem online...

I think I will go drink a beer.

[35Pete]

We just solved an intractable problem online...

I think I will go drink a beer.

I wish I could. No booze because of medication. Had another anaphalactic shock episode yesterday. No booze. This shit is getting old. Hives, wheezing and no beer.

Where's my pistol?

[Green Lantern]

I wish I could. No booze because of medication. Had another anaphalactic shock episode yesterday. No booze. This shit is getting old. Hives, wheezing and no beer.

Where's my pistol?

What are you allergic to?

[35Pete]

What are you allergic to?


Don't know. Not food, not anything familiar. Just blow up completely lately. I mean bad. Trouble breathing bad. Loaded up on three prescription antihistimines, an inhaler, steriods, and I carry an epinephrine auto-injector (adrenalin) with me at all times. That's the bitch of it. What could kill me I am totally unaware of. And because of all the meds I can't get tested right away until I have a window of inactivity so I can come off them. Because otherwise they'll mask the allergy test results.

But the worst part is no beer.

[Green Lantern]

Don't know. Not food, not anything familiar. Just blow up completely lately. I mean bad. Trouble breathing bad. Loaded up on three prescription antihistimines, an inhaler, steriods, and I carry an epinephrine auto-injector (adrenalin) with me at all times. That's the bitch of it. What could kill me I am totally unaware of. And because of all the meds I can't get tested right away until I have a window of inactivity so I can come off them. Because otherwise they'll mask the allergy test results.

But the worst part is no beer.

Some people BECOME allergic to things later in life.

Maybe you have become allergic to being angry.

Try being a Bush I, "kinder, gentler" 35Pete...

[г]

Too much jacking off...

[twosheds]

Two choices. OPT INTO National Health Insurance and pay a higher tax rate for your coverage, or....feel that you should not be compelled to work to insure others and also suffer lesser quality care then if you engaged in a PRIVATE CONTRACT, hence you OPT OUT, and go the private route.

That's pretty much the German system. Except that it's not a tax increase, but a mandatory public insurance. You can opt out and have private health ensurance (or none) if you're self-employed or earn enough money.

[sukie]

Two sheds.... if you opt out do you still pay the same tax rate to cover everyone else?

[mikgaes]

I have had the fortune to discuss the British way with many physicians who practice in it. I never remember hearing too much guff, though it's been several years now.

Notable that the 100,000 pounds equates to around $200,000. No GP nmakes that much in the US. They are lucky to gross half that. Average Medicare reimbursement (including co-pay) is now about $47. Typical to see about 100 patients a week for say 48 weeks a year. That comes to just over $200,000. Average physician collects 0.60 on every dollar billed. Good billing is 0.65 on the dollar. Any billing company that tells you they can collect 0.70 on the dollar is lying to you. Cost to operate an office runs, easily 50 to 60% of you billings. These are facts. You can do the math. That is why nobody practices solo anymore.

The attractive thing (for practitioners) about the British system is there is no lawsuits for malpractice. Or at least this is what I have always ever been told. Therefore there is no malpractice insurance worries. In the US the cost is $13,500 to upwards $140,000 per annum out of pocket for each physician.

[sukie]

You'll never EVER rid the system of malpractice which is why it won't work here.

[mikgaes]

It wasn't that there is no malpractice there, it's that patients cannot sue for it. It is handled differently. How exactly I cannot tell you.

There is huge savings in health care because of this lack of frivolous law suits (supposedly). I'm not saying I'm for or against this system. Apparently, judging by your article, things are not rosie there either.

Believe me, there is no magic panacea out there. No country has a magic bullet solution. I have some interesting facts on health care in other countries compared to us. I'll dig them out and post them. You'll see how inefficient our system is (read fiscally ineffecient).

[sukie]

Fiscally inefficient yes... But you are talking the governmental part... GDP expenditures etc.... But the free market system here weilds the best diagnostics (and most abundent) and a reward for innovation.... which is future profit.

[mikgaes]

Fiscally inefficient yes... But you are talking the governmental part... GDP expenditures etc.... But the free market system here weilds the best diagnostics (and most abundent) and a reward for innovation.... which is future profit.

NO! I will show you. The free market system is what is (think of a better word for raping) the American consumer...

I will put up a post that I posted on another board I frequent las summer...

[sukie]

But then why is it I pass more diagnostic centers with fMRI and PET on my way to work and back than in all of, lets say, Ontario?

[mikgaes]

The cost of radiologic services is tremendously bloated in the US. They make four to five times the cost of many of those studies. It has become a problem in my area. All the specialists have gotten their own machines to get in on the act. Neurologist has an ultrasound machine to check carotids, cardiologist has a rapid MRI to screen for coronary arterial disease.

I got a letter from a big insurer in my area last week warning that patients sent for studies to unapproved sites would no longer be re-imbursed. That's because everyone is buying their own machines and doing these tests. Some of the people reading the results may be MDs, but they are not trained radiologists (hence the concern is that they'll miss something when reading films).

[twosheds]

Two sheds.... if you opt out do you still pay the same tax rate to cover everyone else?

There's no tax. No, you just pay your private health ensurance, as far as I know. But Mr. average can't opt out, since he doesn't earn enough, or isn't self-employed.

Public insurance companies have to insure everyone, while private insurance companies can choose.

I'd prefer a system where basic health ensurance is covered by everyone, and private health insurance can be bought on top of that.

[mikgaes]

I'd prefer a system where basic health ensurance is covered by everyone, and private health insurance can be bought on top of that.

Agreed. We basically have that here for the over 65 crowd. Everyone gets Medicare. Most have secondary insurance on top of that. The problem comes in with the drastic cuts to Medicare planned here though.


On January 1, 2007, U.S. physicians face reimbursement cuts form Medicare and TRICARE of approximately 5.5 percent. Over the next nine years, the cuts will increase to 37 percent.

From: Medicare cuts to reach 37% (http://healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/medicare_and_tricare_reimbursement)