Osbornes medicine is working!

[MrSmith]

On the contrary the cold hard facts suggest that it will cost us more. I've already demonstrated this. The Netherlands has much the same system as Switzerland and their spend and a percentage of GDP in 2010 was 12%. That is 2.4% more than ours in the same year. It will cost us more!

 

And as I’ve already pointed out their system is better and worth the extra, it costs more because they spend more per patient resulting in shorter waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. People on the sick and waiting for treatment aren’t very productive, faster treatment results in people getting back to work faster and receiving less in benefits. Cheaper isn't better.

[L00b]

The Netherlands has much the same system as Switzerland and their spend and a percentage of GDP in 2010 was 12%. That is 2.4% more than ours in the same year.

Is a like-for-like comparison valid for these examples (NL, CH), though?

 

As in, considering

(i) the non-trivial difference in total populations (UK = 4xNL = 8xCH) and

(ii) the 'make-up' of these populations (age profile, sex distribution, average health profile, average BMI, proportion of disabled, etc.),

can the UK health spend be validly compared with the NL and CH health spends?

 

I'd have thought not, but happy to stand corrected.

[I1L2T3]

And as I’ve already pointed out their system is better and worth the extra, it costs more because they spend more per patient resulting in shorter waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. People on the sick and waiting for treatment aren’t very productive, faster treatment results in people getting back to work faster and receiving less in benefits. Cheaper isn't better.

 

Are you aware of the monthly costs per individual/family, the use of policy excesses that can be £1000+.

 

British families cannot afford to take on these costs until levels of personal debt are greatly reduced.

 

Besides, the system that all our main parties want is not the Swiss one. They want the US system. Ironic really as Obamacare takes them closer to the Swiss system, we try to copy their existing broken system.

 

All this said if we could afford a Swiss style system and our demographics could sustain it then it would be the one to copy. Maybe it should be a long-term project for us.

[MrSmith]

Are you aware of the monthly costs per individual/family, the use of policy excesses that can be £1000+.

 

British families cannot afford to take on these costs until levels of personal debt are greatly reduced.

 

It can't be solved in isolation, and I did say

Reversing the mess we are in will take decades and a lot more than a few tax cuts.

 

 

Besides, the system that all our main parties want is not the Swiss one. They want the US system. Ironic really as Obamacare takes them closer to the Swiss system, we try to copy their existing broken system.

I did say

There isn't a party that will do what is required

All this said if we could afford a Swiss style system and our demographics could sustain it then it would be the one to copy. Maybe it should be a long-term project for us.

 

Glad you agree.

[*_ash_*]

no im not going to answer it here :hihi:

 

You're not going to answer it because they're just more tabloid drivel you fall for, and like them, you can't offer a way of doing it, or an alternative.

 

so what about the other suggestions i posted are they not workable either oh and lets hear some from you

 

I've offered my suggestion to some of the other ones. Notably the tax dodging companies - don't use them if you think they don't play fair. None of the mentioned ones have the monopoly in their field. If people continue to use them when everyone knows what they're up to [allegedly], then they can't complain. As for the others: fiddling expenses has been in the news a lot in the last few years and I'm sure some of the motte-and-baileys are grassing over as we type, so it's nothing new you're suggesting. Removing tax avoidance schemes, see previous answer + this is probably the most difficult to do. It's fair easier to find a fair tax system.

[Mister M]

I post these 2 articles (from FT & the Mirror) against the apparent consensus of the thread of George Osborne's medicine working.

Interesting reading whichever way:

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/cca28c2e-b1a4-11e2-9315-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fcca28c2e-b1a4-11e2-9315-00144feabdc0.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fliberalconspiracy.org%2F2013%2F05%2F02%2Feven-the-economists-george-osborne-cited-to-justify-austerity-have-abandoned-him%2F#axzz2SAZ3eB9E

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/george-osbornes-favourite-economists-reinhart-1838219

[I1L2T3]

Is a like-for-like comparison valid for these examples (NL, CH), though?

 

As in, considering

(i) the non-trivial difference in total populations (UK = 4xNL = 8xCH) and

(ii) the 'make-up' of these populations (age profile, sex distribution, average health profile, average BMI, proportion of disabled, etc.),

can the UK health spend be validly compared with the NL and CH health spends?

 

I'd have thought not, but happy to stand corrected.

 

We need to look at other successful systems. But yeah I agree the comparisons are difficult and it would take significant effort to do. No doubt that work is getting done somewhere.

 

---------- Post added 02-05-2013 at 22:59 ----------

 

It can't be solved in isolation, and I did say

 

 

 

I did say

 

 

 

Glad you agree.

 

I agree we could move to a system like that at some point. The practical barriers to it are huge right now.