Genesis Health Systems

questions regarding european health care systems?

are doctors in europe's socialist health care system assigned specialty fields as opposed to choosing their own? how does socialized medicine effect the tax system? do european doctors make less money than american doctors? any sources or links would be appreciated as well.

Public Comments

1. Uhh... I'm european and sincerely I would like to understand why on earth americans call our health care system a "socialist" one, it's a mystery to me... Some european countries have parties called "socialist" in government, the cases of Spain, Portugal and the UK, for example, but these socialist parties ARE NOT communist, I suspect you think they are, I've talked to many americans and to them socialism IS communism. In fact that's just not true, these are two different parties, both left-wing, one is communist the other isn't, very simple. Universal Health Care exists for decades in most european countries if not all, INDEPENDENTLY from the types of governments that are elected, left-wing or right-wing, it's not a political issue, in most countries it's in the Constitution, like americans have the constitutional right to "bear arms", most europeans have the constitutional right to free health care and free education, by the way. As you might know, there are 47 countries in Europe, it would be quite complicated to answer your questions to all 47 of them , but at least in Portugal, Spain, France, UK and Germany, those that I know better, this works more or less like this: - "doctors assigned special fields", don't understand your question, but doctors usually do service on public hospitals AND have private offices. - "socialized medicine affects the tax system", well, part of the taxes go to pay the services doctors perform on public hospitals and these hospitals are totally funded by tax money. - "european doctors make less money than americans", no idea how much an american doctor makes, but being a doctor in Europe is one of the best payed professions.
2. To the best of my knowledge, European doctors choose their specialties--even in Russia they do (http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:E29KhkLtctoJ:www.club2015.ru/FileDownload.asp%3FFileID%3D%257BAF067C57-1BB1-47AA-8750-D6BAC8A3A3D9%257D+do+Russian+doctors+choose+their+specialties%3F&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=21&gl=us). Socialized medicine eventually eats up vast quantities of tax--basically the systems go bankrupt even while rationing care. Two quick examples: The NHS, the oldest system, is in Britain: "“Staff are being laid off, and deficits are at an all time high (£1.07bn for 2005-2006)” (Hazel Blears, Labour Party Chair and Minister Without Portfolio, labourachievements.blogspot.com/2006/08/23-investment-in-nhs.html). In the National Review Online article, Coburn & Herzlinger state “more than 20,000 Brits would not have died from cancer in the U.S.” Just recently Alex Smallwood of the BMA (British Medical Association) was quoted in the Scotsman as saying: “’Rationing is reduction in choice. Rationing has become a necessary evil. We need to formalise rationing to prevent an unregulated, widening, postcode-lottery of care. Government no longer has a choice.’” (Moss, “NHS rationing is ‘necessary evil,’ says doctors,” 26 June 2007). "The biggest Canadian fiscal drain comes from the single-payer medical system. "Current model of health-care delivery leading us down the path to financial ruin," states the lead editorial in the Calgary Sun. Health-care costs would consume 50% of Alberta's budget by 2016 (according to the Fraser Institute) or 2017 (according to Aon Consulting, a firm hired by the Alberta government). Health care would devour 100% of the provincial budget by 2030, if present trends continue. ... An estimated 90,000 Canadians sought medical care outside their country in 2005. The cry "no two-tiered system" could be replaced by "set our patients free," stated a lead editorial (National Post 9/18/06)." Jewish World Review Dec. 1, 2006 by Dr. Glueck So even UHC countries tend to have something else going on--France normally has private insurance contrary to what folks want to believe: The much lauded French system raises some questions as well. From their Embassy site (ambafrance-us.org) they state that 96 percent of the population receives free or 100 percent reimbursed health care. They state the system is part of their Social Security and is funded from worker’s salaries (60 percent), “indirect taxes on alcohol and tobacco and by direct contribution paid by all revenue proportional to income, including retirement pensions and capital revenues.” They state that it appears that health insurance pays less to its doctors in France than in other European countries, but that 80 percent of the public have supplemental health insurance, typically from their employers. If they’re providing so well for the needs of the public, why is there a need for “supplemental” health insurance for the majority of the public and what about the additional cost that imposes? The site states that the poorest have free universal health care, funded by taxes. Long-term illness sufferers are to be reimbursed for their treatments. They do have private clinics, as well as public hospitals, and not-for-profit healthcare. In fact, “private medical care in France is particularly active in treating more than 50% of surgeries and more than 60% of cancer cases.” Private insurance, which the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) site said in a 2004 report, was held by 92 percent of the French, helps to cover both vision and dental care which are not well covered under the government system. “The public system is facing chronic deficits and recent cost containment policies have not proved very successful.” The government is interested in having more of the tab picked up by private insurance (Buchmueller & Couffinhall, “Private Health Insurance in France,” 2004, oecd.org). Yes European doctors make far less (typically I see one-third as the figure) than American doctors do. HOWEVER, they don't pay what American docs do to become doctors; they get tax breaks usually; their malpractice premiums are far lower. "Doctors in the United States earn two to three times as much as they do in other industrialized countries. Surveys by medical-practice management groups show that American doctors make an average of $200,000 to $300,000 a year. Primary care doctors and pediatricians make less, between $125,000 and $200,000, but in specialties like radiology, physicians can take home $400,000 or more. In Europe, however, doctors made $60,000 to $120,000 in 2002, according to a survey sponsored by the British government in 2004." http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/weekinreview/29berenson.html?_r=3&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=health&adxnnlx=1185827276-QWAtdUjsYeEHMzcgRTjoSg&oref=login is one source for you.
3. wish we had one like it.