Britain's Much Vaunted National Health System© has long been touted as the quintessential model of government-run, single-payer health "care." Today we offer two more shining examples of how that's working out.
First up, via FoIB Dr Gerard G, a lesson in how the MVNHS© manages to rein in run-away health care costs:
"Now NHS prepares to ration painkillers and routine operations: Bosses drawn guidelines after getting only a third of the money they asked for in the Budget"
That's really the fundamental problem with this kind of system: there's only so much supply to meet pent-up demand. As co-blogger Bob noted some time ago:
"The economics of goods and services can be reduced to simple demand and supply. Health care is no different ... Health care is also inelastic."
That is, one could substitute tea for coffee (for example), but there really isn't a substitute for health care. Sure, one could probably make do with an extra ibuprofen versus that codeine, but what's the stand-in for hip replacement?
Our second lesson comes courtesy of FoIB Rich W, who found this tragedy:
"Hospital apologises after pregnant teenager was turned away from hospital by midwife who blasted her for using an ambulance as ‘a taxi’ – just hours before her baby died."
Talk about compassionate care.
Fortunately, the hospital "was forced to apologise;" I'm sure that went a long way toward helping the young couple's healing process.
Good thing she didn't need that epidural.
First up, via FoIB Dr Gerard G, a lesson in how the MVNHS© manages to rein in run-away health care costs:
"Now NHS prepares to ration painkillers and routine operations: Bosses drawn guidelines after getting only a third of the money they asked for in the Budget"
That's really the fundamental problem with this kind of system: there's only so much supply to meet pent-up demand. As co-blogger Bob noted some time ago:
"The economics of goods and services can be reduced to simple demand and supply. Health care is no different ... Health care is also inelastic."
That is, one could substitute tea for coffee (for example), but there really isn't a substitute for health care. Sure, one could probably make do with an extra ibuprofen versus that codeine, but what's the stand-in for hip replacement?
Our second lesson comes courtesy of FoIB Rich W, who found this tragedy:
"Hospital apologises after pregnant teenager was turned away from hospital by midwife who blasted her for using an ambulance as ‘a taxi’ – just hours before her baby died."
Talk about compassionate care.
Fortunately, the hospital "was forced to apologise;" I'm sure that went a long way toward helping the young couple's healing process.
Good thing she didn't need that epidural.
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