People who are unable to afford private medical insurance in Ireland are disadvantaged when they need to have tests to diagnose serious conditions, according to a new report, writes The Irish Times.
Ireland’s two-tier health service means patients are less likely to get an early diagnosis for a serious illness, such as a brain tumour, if they cannot pay for private diagnostics, according to the report by the think tank Tasc. The report states the average wait for a brain MRI through the public system is 126 days, while private patients wait just six days. The report examines access to diagnosis for three different conditions: a common cancer such as lung cancer; a rare one such as a brain tumour; and autism spectrum disorder, a complex condition, across three countries with different health systems – Ireland, Germany and Spain.
Read more:
- The Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/public-patient-waits-120-days-more-than-private-one-for-brain-scan-1.4073560
- Reducing Health Inequalities:The Role of Civil Society. EPS and TASC. November 2019 (PDF)