Manipulating waiting lists by giving unnecessary cancer treatments

April 7, 2007

That’s what you get when bureaucrats run the show.

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{ 6 comments }

1 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 11:39 am

Is someone else itching to run the show? Would a bunch of docs do any better?

2 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 1:52 pm

“A bunch of docs” who tried to run a massive healthcare beurocracy would be, well, beurocrats now wouldn’t they. As beurocrats with the same set of incentives they would, eventually, behave in the same fashion.

Now on the other hand, if there isn’t a “show” to be run, no massive state entity responsible for providing care and essentially owning control of the the docs and the patients–if instead patients are individually seeking care from doctors and hospitals each running their own small show trying to compete in a free market place–then yes they do a damned sight better as the lightening speed rapidity (compared to UK or Canada) with which cancer treatments start after diagnosis in the US.

3 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 1:58 pm

“…if there isn’t a “show” to be run, no massive state entity responsible for providing care and essentially owning control of the the docs and the patients…”

Exactly. Unfortunately, because we currently have a hybrid system with its inherent flaws, our system is slowly heading in the direction of the NHS with the help of those tricky little single-payer advocates. Instead, we should be heading in the other direction. For now we do get fast diagnosis and treatment. I wonder where the break point will be?

4 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 2:10 pm

Actually, physicians could break it. They could walk away from the insurance/govt. reimbursement scheme.

But that means giving up a pretty good lifestyle.

Think they will?

5 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 2:32 pm

“Actually, physicians could break it. They could walk away from the insurance/govt. reimbursement scheme.”

Now you’re talking and some physicians already have…

That is a different breakpoint from which I was referring to, but nonetheless an important one as well. I guess the one thing US physicians (and patients) have going for them is that the US Constitution protects against the outlawing of private contracts and thus private practice.

6 Anonymous April 7, 2007 at 9:06 pm

Actually, physicians could break it. They could walk away from the insurance/govt. reimbursement scheme.

But that means giving up a pretty good lifestyle.

Think they will?

Hey smart guy, those who do, are doing so for a much better lifestyle than can be found under the insurance/gov’t. reimbursement scheme

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