Get Insurance to Cover the Gaps in Government Health Care
June 29th, 2008 Posted in International, Health CareBritain’s National Health Service is gaining an unenviable record in not covering life-saving medical treatments, such as new drugs. The patient may die, but oh well … it’s important not to waste too much money on health care.
So a company is offering insurance to cover the drugs which the NHS won’t cover. So much for universal cmedical coverage for the benefit of the people. Reports the Daily Mail:
A scheme which allows patients to receive expensive drugs that are banned on the Health Service has been launched by an insurance company.
The top-up cash plan is designed to plug gaps in NHS care, including the denial of life-prolonging drugs to cancer patients in England and Wales that are available in Scotland.
The policy is unique in that it gives patients access to a legal helpline and free legal advice if they face being penalised by having NHS treatment withdrawn as a result.
The scheme from Western Provident-Association is a direct challenge to the Government’s refusal to allow top-up payments for treatment not provided on the NHS - forcing patients to go fully private.
Doctors and campaigners have attacked the Government’s stance as unlawful and unjust because it deprives patients of NHS care they would otherwise have received.
One Response to “Get Insurance to Cover the Gaps in Government Health Care”
By Rob on Jun 30, 2008
This is really too bad. Similar situations are happening in Canada. The amount being spent on private health care is staggering.