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New Year, NHS rationing, should drunks be charged for admissions?
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vivatifosi
Posts: 18,746 Forumite
We all know that public finances are going to be squeezed over the coming years as the government pays down the deficit. The NHS along with most public bodies will face difficult decisions.
The Policy Exchange think-tank has proposed that drunks admitted to hospital this new year's eve with acute alcohol intoxication should be charged the NHS tariff for their entrance: £532. Alcohol related admissions are likely to cost £23m tonight and the total cost of alcohol misuse treatment by the NHS totals £2.7bn for the year. Hospital admissions have doubled in a decade.
What do you think? Time to charge? I find myself in agreement with this policy though my concern is people could die if not treated. Maybe it should be considered for serial abusers: ie do it once, you get a warning, do it twice or more and you get billed. I know we've discussed similar issues before, but this is quite timely.
Here's the article:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5BU12C20091231
The Policy Exchange think-tank has proposed that drunks admitted to hospital this new year's eve with acute alcohol intoxication should be charged the NHS tariff for their entrance: £532. Alcohol related admissions are likely to cost £23m tonight and the total cost of alcohol misuse treatment by the NHS totals £2.7bn for the year. Hospital admissions have doubled in a decade.
What do you think? Time to charge? I find myself in agreement with this policy though my concern is people could die if not treated. Maybe it should be considered for serial abusers: ie do it once, you get a warning, do it twice or more and you get billed. I know we've discussed similar issues before, but this is quite timely.
Here's the article:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5BU12C20091231
Please stay safe in the sun and learn the A-E of melanoma: A = asymmetry, B = irregular borders, C= different colours, D= diameter, larger than 6mm, E = evolving, is your mole changing? Most moles are not cancerous, any doubts, please check next time you visit your GP.
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Smokers are already charged through tax, and similarly drinkers, isnt this supposed to be what the tax is for?This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0
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amcluesent wrote: »Where do you stop. Charge smokers with lung cancer? Or how about charging Asians for their disproportionate number of disabled kiddies as their culture encourages intercourse between cousins?
Well therein lays the crux of the issue. Where I am local services are being withdrawn regularly and turning the issue on its head, I could ask why people here can't have a baby locally (because the money ran out and the unit shut), or have elective surgery locally (because the money for that ran out too and the unit shut) yet we continue to treat drunks for free. The most interesting issues are always those where there is both an ethical and a cost issue.Please stay safe in the sun and learn the A-E of melanoma: A = asymmetry, B = irregular borders, C= different colours, D= diameter, larger than 6mm, E = evolving, is your mole changing? Most moles are not cancerous, any doubts, please check next time you visit your GP.
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I wouldn't say they should be charged, as you are opening the situation up to those who participate in sports, smokers, druggies, obese etc.
I think the problem of drunks is a bigger problem that needs sorting out via another avenue, i..e target the drinking problem, rather than just letting it go on.0 -
In theory a great idea.
In practice a stupid idea. The cost of collection would far outweigh the amount actually collected. The usual red tape would mean a dept of 300 people would be needed and at the end of year one they would have collected 3000 fines.0 -
What level of blood alcohol level do you suggest we use as the mark for charging?
Equating to what? One or Two pints?Not Again0 -
Cant find more current figures, but for 2004-5 the revenue from tax on alcohol was £14 billion and the cost of alcohol related illness to the NHS was £5.4 Billion.Thankyou Sir Alex for 26 years0
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Or they could always charge enormous amounts of ever increasing year on year tax on alcohol.
Oh hold on, They are doing that already.
I wonder if anyone can say whether the drink related NHS extra expense is greater than the booze tax?
Edit: You guys are too fast
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No,
Old people with equity in their homes should pay for it.0 -
Cant find more current figures, but for 2004-5 the revenue from tax on alcohol was £14 billion and the cost of alcohol related illness to the NHS was £5.4 Billion.
I believe it works out with a slight profit (in the millions, not billions).
As you also have costs to the councils cleaning up the place after, police etc.0 -
It is wrong to discriminate so you'd have to impose extra charges to other groups also...obesity etc etc.
A can of worms.0
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