The Irish should “think twice” about introducing a Dutch-style health system because of escalating costs and a lack of choice, a conference was told last week.
Michel Dutrée, the chief executive of Nefarma, the Dutch pharmaceutical industry lobby group, said the health model adopted by his country looked good in principle but was flawed in practice.
Healthcare in the Netherlands was now based on cost rather than need.
He said the projected costs of healthcare there would double in the next 10-15 years. If nothing is done, Dutch people will be spending 25 per cent of their annual income on healthcare, more so than in the United States.
“Basically you hand over your life to the insurance companies and a public system executed privately is very difficult to manage,” he added.
Note EU-Digest: The cost for healthcare and healthcare insurance in the Netherlands based on the services provided has increased significantly since it became operational in 2006. The Government has also lost control over the pricing structure of both the medical and insurance industry. In this case free market forces are now working against instead of in favor of the consumers.
For more: Dutch health system 'flawed' - The Irish Times - Tue, Dec 06, 2011
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