Follow-up to “Red Package Health Care in China”
by Nick Jacobs
1 Comment »
Allroads wrote @ August 7th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
The issue that you have highlighted is perhaps one of China’s most serious, and it is one that is being investigated on a large scale in China.
Not just unethical, this practice is destabilizing in many ways as the access of the rich to medical treatments is far greater than that of the average citizen. This gap in service, has catalyzed numerous incidents within the hospitals as families will literally bankrupt themselves to pay for a single round of chemo.
Additionally, it is well known that the hospitals themselves are in on the game. Unnecessary procedures are commonly prescribed, IV drips are almost a required waiting room accessory, and medical equipment (implants, etc) are sold at exorbitant prices.
However, with laws coming onto the book that limit the amount of margin that can be charged on equipment and consumables, the arrests of offenders, and the execution of public officials some change is beginning to occur.
China has few hotter issues right now than healthcare, the population is aging faster than any country in the world and soon a few hundred million people are going to be demanding treatment. to maintain stability, China itself has little choice in the matter but to clean up the system, and there is little doubt they have the resolve to do so… the only question is do they have the resources to do to
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