Should the NHS follow the American way?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Introduction The UK government seems to draw much of its inspiration for health policy from the United States. Hence the recent love affair with Kaiser Permanente's care pathways and the recent affirmation of the belief that choice and payment by results will move England towards a patient led NHS.1 Using evidence from the US and Canada, we question this source of inspiration, raise the possibility that the current policy trajectory will lead to greater private financing of health care, and outline why the United Kingdom should be wary of this. We then suggest a solution to financing that retains some aspects of managed care and current policy but rejects others. Our solution recognises the cash limits of the NHS and its twin goals of equity and efficiency.