This paper is reaction to an article giving evidence on the growth in the cost treatment of selected malignant blood diseases. The relationship between the market and health care is explained, as well as the principles of public and private health insurance. Principal decision-making factors such as scientifically proven data, personal or group values and preferences and political and logistical potential are referred to. Private health insurance in Great Britain is used to exemplify the strong and weak points of private health insurance in general. The author brings attention to the need for systematic negotiation with health insurance companies in making use of available data related both to the scope of the issue and potential solutions to it. In addition the author points out the importance of quality health services and efficient organisation of oncological health care. In the long run, the most important factor, from the author's point of view, is systematic exploitation of the Health 21 programme, which is integral to the European health care policy.