For-Profit Clinics Invade Belgium
In Belgium… for profit clinics are popping up everywhere. Dr Jan Van Emelen says “there are about sixty now across the country. Specialists have set them up because if they work in hospitals they have to give 50-60% of their fees to the hospital. This way they keep the money.” He says that the new clinics are sometimes multi-disciplinary, sometimes carry out day surgery and are very flexible. “They will see you immediately and you can go when you want at 6 o’clock after work, for instance.” They cover everything from cataracts or orthopedic surgery to treating depression… Patients can be reimbursed by their insurer but also pay an extra premium for the private treatment….
Our Analysis: In the Netherlands we have seen a similar explosion in private clinics but there it appears that the hospitals, all but one of which are not for profit, are fighting back by successfully opening their own clinics. Indeed, most new clinics are now attached to hospitals.
HT to Jason Shafrin.
Hey, markets work.
The Europeans are discovering capitalism while we discover socialism. Go figure.
Markets work in health care only in those tiny little niches where politicians (usually because of some oversight) allow them to exist.