Sunday, March 30, 2008

This Sceptered Isle - Part IX

So in the U.K. a “voucher scheme” is next up for the National Health Service.

Under this scheme, “patients will not be given money directly, but will decide themselves how to spend sums normally administered by the NHS.”

The U.K. health secretary notes the generation now reaching retirement expects "more control over chronic health conditions that affect four adults in 10." Of course, there are differing opinions. One source of controversy is that some service providers (who at present are paid directly by the government) fret that patients will not welcome the “extra burden” of deciding for themselves where they prefer to obtain treatment. But overall, this scheme seems to me yet another remarkably original, creative, and imaginative idea from the British National Health office. Don’t you agree?

And yet, reading about this scheme . . . I sense something . . .a presence I’ve not felt since . . .

Oh shucks that sensation is probably just deja vu all over again. Won't it be interesting to see how this scheme plays out, over there?
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