A chara,– Dr John Barton (December 28th) highlights an important contradiction at the heart of Irish health policy. Any measure that reinforces a two-tier system – such as the half a billion euro in tax relief given on private health insurance – undermines the nation’s health. It has been conclusively demonstrated that unequal access to healthcare leads to overall poorer health outcomes at greater cost.
While even the US is now correcting this expensive error, we persist with a policy of promoting an infrastructure of private healthcare that is neither equitable nor healthy.
Healthcare based on need, not ability to pay, is more than a liberal nicety. It is the foundation of an effective health system. Over the last decade the wealthy and privileged among us have tacitly allowed this foundation to be eroded. In this new decade we should learn from examples in Europe and elsewhere of fairer, smarter ways of funding healthcare. – Is mise,