Originally posted by Malacasta
What's the cost to society and the health care system of not treating things like suspicious moles that develop into melanomas, or missed pap smear tests that could have caught a terminal cervical cancer?
Well, in socialized systems people tend to be LESS likely to seek out preventative health care. Why? Likely because they know if they get sick the government is going to pay for it anyway. So why bother?

Americans are significantly more likely to seek out preventative health care.

* Mammograms: 88.6% of American females 40-69 had ever had a mammogram compared to 72.3% of Canadians.
* PAP smear: 86.3% of American females 20-69 had a PAP smear in the last 3 years compared to 75.1% of Canadians.
* Prostate screening: 54.2% of American men 40-69 had ever had a PSA test compared to 16.4% of Canadians.

As an economist, I attributed this finding to moral hazard: Canadians know that if they would get a disease that their government will pay for their care. Thus, they may be less motivated to ask for preventive services.