Health insurance key to problem

SUSIE LONG died from colon cancer.

Earlier this year she told Joe Duffy on Liveline that she had waited seven months for her bowel test, while a patient with the same condition who had private health insurance waited three days.

Subsequently, Joe Duffy gave me time on his show discussing this issue, during which I explained the reasons why insurance and other aspects of our health financing system create inequity in access to hospital care.