According to a recent study, patients with health insurance are subjected to an excessive number of X-ray and ultrasound examinations, which, according to experts, heightens health risks for those individuals. Kristiina Patja, a professor at the University of Helsinki, warns that unnecessary examinations divert critical resources away from patients who genuinely require medical attention. This issue is compounded by observations that healthcare providers may feel pressured to conduct more tests when patients have private insurance, leading to potential over-treatment.

The Norwegian study highlighted that over 90% of doctors believe that private insurance increases the risk of over-treatment among patients. This turbulent trend has been exacerbated in Finland as insurance companies have raised their premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for patients, striving to manage losses from health insurance provisions. As patients have little financial accountability when the insurance covers the cost, there exists a tendency for both patients and doctors to opt for additional examinations 'just in case,' including unnecessary X-rays and laboratory tests.

These findings resonate with previous research conducted by Konsta Lavaste, a researcher at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Lavaste's study corroborated the notion that patients with insurance frequently receive more X-ray and ultrasound imaging than necessary. Such practices not only debilitate the efficiency of the healthcare system but also potentially inflict harm on patients through excessive radiation exposure and other health risks associated with over-diagnosis. Therefore, the need for a critical reassessment of healthcare procedures surrounding the use of private insurance is increasingly urgent.