Part 4/8:
European healthcare, designed as a universal system, has inadvertently fostered corruption because of inherent incentives for both patients and providers. Doctors, often government employees in these systems, are paid less compared to their private counterparts and may be more susceptible to accepting bribes for preferential treatment. This creates a two-tier system where wealthier, more resourceful individuals can bypass queues or obtain faster service, exacerbating inequality.
Moreover, waiting times in some countries further illustrate the systemic issues. For example, waiting over four months for elective procedures reflects inefficiencies and bureaucratic delays that can be seen across several European nations.