Doctors reject market model for health

By Lloyd Mudiwa. Healthcare spending grew by between 3 and 4 per cent per capita — with no significant changes in health outcomes — in countries that changed from primarily tax-financed models to social insurance-based health systems, it emerged during an IMO AGM debate. Entitled ‘This House believes that the market model of healthcare is not the best option for Ireland’, UCC economics lecturer Dr Brian Turner — in opposing the motion — called for “careful design” in healthcare involving increased regulation, insurance risk equalisation and standard treatment plans. “Regulated or managed competition can work in healthcare. There can be…