Dr. Teeth
Remember folks, socialized medicine is a utopian paradise where everyone gets everything they need all the time.
Health service dentists have been forced to go on holiday or spend time on the golf course this month despite millions of patients being denied dental care.
Many have fulfilled their annual work quotas allotted by the National Health Service and have been turning patients away because they are not paid to do extra work. This is despite the fact that more than 7m people in Britain are unable to find an NHS dentist.
Patients have been told they must either pay privately or return in April when the new work year begins. People suffering from toothache have been advised to go to hospital.
This is vastly different from the US, where uninsured people are forced to either pay privately or go to an emergency room.
Comments
Buzz, that’s exactly right, and it shows the fatal flaw in this kind of centrally-planned socialist system. The NHS determined that for every dentist X they should see Y number of patients, and in return would receive Z compensation. However, as fundamental economics teaches us, demand fluctuates based on myriad factors. Thus a dentist in one area might be more efficient or generally harder working, and see Y number of patients in 9 months. Rather than be rewarded for his efficiency, he is told to stop providing services for 3 months, since Z is the only remuneration he will receive. Conversely, other dentists who are not efficient are not reaching Y through the whole year, though they have received Z compensation. Therefore they might possibly have to return part of Z in order to account for the less-than-Y number of patients they saw in a given year. This provides no incentive for these doctors to innovate or increase efficiency. In fact, it provides incentive for doctors to leave the NHS and go into private practice, treating those patients who can afford their own dental insurance.
Isn’t there some kind of joke about the English having bad teeth? This kind of explains it.
On a happier(?)note, now that I have dental insurance,On Monday I’m going to the dentist for the first time in about 15 years.
Pray for me.
Belcatar, maybe we should also pray for your dental hygenist.
Well, Crichton, I went to the dentist, and they x-rayed my teeth, and there’s no sign of decay. My teeth look good. I was surprised! I have to go back for a cleaning, but no major work is necessary.
Guess that electric toothbrush does the trick!
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From Lee’s article:
So, if I understand this, one group of dentists is out playing golf because they meet their quotas and cannot receive more money for extra services rendered while the other group of dentists is out playing golf because they cannot find patients to meet their quota.
What I really don’t get is why some people in the UK who suffer a toothache are directed to a hospital. Why not send them to a golf course?