Virtual bills to tell you how much you cost the state

[AB Asks]

Government plans mean could people will be handed a 'virtual bill' by their GP to show them how much they have cost the taxpayer. Other state service users will also be handed the 'virtual bill', whether it be parents of school children or university students. There are fears that these bills could deter vulnerable groups of people away from going to their GP such as the elderly or depressed. What do you think about these 'virtual bills'? Are they a total waste of money? Are they going to scare people away from using state services?

[ludwig]

I'd just counter it by whipping out a 'virtual receipt' of all the tax I've paid over the years, followed by a 'virtual invoice' for a refund of the difference.

What is idea of this - to make people feel guilty about using state services?

[WendyS]

We fund all our state services with our tax payments, so I don't see why we should be given a virtual bill for them. However, for those people who deliberately abuse their health through smoking, alcoholism, obesity, durg taking, it wouldn't hurt to let them know how much they are costing society in general. Perhaps they then might spare a thought that by abusing their bodies they are effectively taking away NHS funds which are needed for those who are ill through o fault of their own such as cancer suffers, Alkzeimers, Parkinsons, MS, the severely disabled. etc.

[sense4all]

I'm with Ludwig on this one!
What utter cobblers! How much are they gonna pay for that computer system. Whatever the cost it's too much!