Re:I Was Wrong about the Ethics Crisis (Moshe Vardi, CACM)
by kergonath on Monday December 30, 2024 @02:27AM
(#42547314)
It can be problematic even as an option. Now doctors have a conflict of interest because they make more money from private insurances than within the public system. It also needs to be finely balanced otherwise too much of the spending is through private companies, starving the public system of funds.
It can work, but it needs to be very carefully regulated.
Some other countries have private insurance as an option. For example, you can buy private insurance in the UK and some provinces of Canada if you want. Some people obviously feel it is worth it to them to do so (faster time to treatment, private versus shared hospital rooms, etc.). The difference from the US system is that there is a public system available without this expense.