Doctors admit: NHS treatments must be rationed (UK Universal Healthcare Isn't Universal)

The Guardian ^ | 05/06/07 | Denis Campbell

[Reaganesque]

British doctors will take the historic step of admitting for the first time that many health treatments will be rationed in the future because the NHS cannot cope with spiralling demand from patients. In a major report that will embarrass the government, the British Medical Association will say fertility treatment, plastic surgery and operations for varicose veins and minor childhood ailments, such as glue ear, are among a long list of procedures in jeopardy.

James Johnson, the BMA chairman, will warn that patients face a bleak future because they will increasingly be denied treatments. He will urge the NHS to be much more explicit about what it can realistically afford to do and ask political leaders to engage in an open, honest debate about rationing.

...

Senior BMA sources say their report recognises the reality that despite record investment in the NHS, 'postcode lotteries' are rife. Primary care trusts, the local NHS organisations that commission and pay for care from hospitals on behalf of patients, are increasingly rejecting requests to pay for procedures or drugs because they are not perceived to be the best use of funds...

[Reaganesque]

The Dem's Universal Healthcare schemes have been much in the news of late so, I thought this article was relevant. I think the most disturbing aspect of this article is the revelation (it was news to me, anyway) that the group responsible for deciding who will get life saving treatment and who won't is called the National Institute for Clinical Exelence. Yes, if government bureaucrats decide that your cancer treatments are not "cost effective" and turn you down, you can go to your grave knowing that you were condemned to death by NICE people. Positively Orwellian.

[KoRn]

"I thought this article was relevant"

You better believe it is! The socialists want the SAME thing here!!

[Son House]

childhood ailments

Oh horrors! The children, the children, the children...

[Mr. Jazzy]

Oh yeah, we really need THAT going on here! That's the place where Teddy Kennedy went for his brain surgery, right?

(sarc off)

[driftdiver]

What they really mean is these treatments will no longer be provided at all. The rationing will continue for cancer treatment, heart surgery and so on.

its sad to see a once great country dragged down into nothing by the barbarians.

[G.Mason]

Already happening here

[Archon of the East]

This comes as no surprise and has been happening regularly in all countries where social medicine has taken hold. It happens here to a lesser extent when the HMO's decide. Now I know people think there is a big difference but the truth is we are essentially a one payer system with insurance companies basing their payments on Medicare within a few percentages. While this is not full blown social medicine we are no doubt in the words of another ignorant entertainer half way there and living on a prayer.

[AmericaUnited]

British Sheeples pay $10/gal for gas and still can’t get medical treatment. Suckers!

[Huck]

Yea, I was on Obama’s website yesterday, checking out his policies, and under healthcare, it says “ The plan will cover all essential medical services”. The word ‘essential’ jumped out at me. Who decides? That’s what I don’t get about rank and file libs. I get how power monger elitists like leftism...they want to rule. But why do rank and file hippies want to sign their life over to the big bad gubmint?Makes no sense.

[randita]

What’s “glue ear”?

[Sacajaweau]

When fluid in the ear gets thick...In many cases, it resolves itself.

[Sacajaweau]

IMHO, one of the goals of universal care will be the ability to pull the plug...at the doctor’s discretion...It’s a money thing. Buyer beware!!

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Don’t forget that the left wants old people and the disabled to die. Don’t plan on visiting the UK if you are over 75 and might get sick.

[Hoodat]

That's the place where Teddy Kennedy went for his brain surgery, right?

Long ago, I said that the day Ted Kennedy showed up at DC General for his health care would be the day that I dropped my opposition to socialized medicine. Needless to say, DC General is no longer in business.

[BunnySlippers]

bookmark

[duckbutt]

Of course it rationed —how else do you control costs when it’s the government providing the services?

Surveys have shown that when folks think health care is “free” —they use more of it —and of course, this drives the price up in a government-run healthcare situation (think Medicare and Medicaid in the US as well as Canadian healthcare)

You can look online to see how long procedures will take in Canada. I had a hip replacement a year ago and would still be on their waiting list. Average wait time - 444 days.

If you have older folks in your family that think this will be the cure-all to healthcare, do some fact checking and present it to them.

It’s a nightmare —a total nightmare —

[Huck]

IMHO, one of the goals of universal care will be the ability to pull the plug...at the doctor’s discretion...It’s a money thing. Buyer beware!!

It doesn't seem like an unlikely outcome. Do they do that in any of the lefty euro countries?

[CDHart]

"Suckers!"

You are right, but I'm afraid that's our future, too.

Carolyn

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[ricks_place]

Congressional Democrats refuse to address the root cause of spiraling health care cost; threatened or actual court room litigation, loser plaintiff does not pay costs, and big money punishment awards against insurers, doctors, and hospitals. Congressional Democrats want to keep US health sick in order to implement their cure, Nationalized Health Care with Centralized Power and all the newly created patronage jobs. Nationalized Health Care would necessarily include the elimination of litigation; litigation probably replaced by a government appeal process.