NHS Meltdown: And the Rationing Increases

The NHS has gone from rationing the most expensive for whom to care and the elderly, to a general withholding of care to people with regular conditions. From the story:

Growing numbers of patients are being denied treatment for conditions such as loss of sight, arthritis and infertility as the NHS increasingly rations healthcare in order to save money, research by the Guardian shows. Services for patients with mental health problems and addictions and those who need physiotherapy after accidents are being scaled back, while operations to fix hernias or remove cataracts or varicose veins are either being refused or delayed

Part of this is due, I think, to government trying to cover the kitchen sink rather than realizing that taxpayers can’t carry the burden for total care.  We see that in our own Medicaid crises.

That noted, private insurance would never be permitted to make such unilateral restrictions in coverage.  Only governments can get away with things like that.