Sunday, October 4, 2015

A Bonus for Ignoring Cancer

Yes, health insurance firms can be a pain. Have you been tempted to support single-payer health insurance, something like Britain's National Health Service?  Check out an article in the Daily Telegraph (U.K.) before you do. Hat tip to Instapundit for the link.

The NHS has been offering medical practices a cash bonus for referring fewer patients to hospital for cancer screenings. This in a nation with poor cancer survival rates.
The UK has the worst survival rates for cancers in Western Europe, largely due to late diagnosis.
The NHS, though popular with Brits, is chronically underfunded given the usage levels. Translation: too many people use it too much because it is "free," which is to say, prepaid. It is "the tragedy of the commons" in modern dress, and is also exactly what we'd see if we had government clinics open to all for any reason whatsoever.