Should we adopt two-tier health care?

[Machjo]

As long as private enterprise does not create medical monopoly - and profiting through our weakest members does not become an on going buisness venture- with no limits to greed - then I agree - But who is to oversee this mixture of private assistance and publicly controled assistance in the health field? That's the problem - we don't want to let the fox into the hen house and become dependant on those that eat us.

Singapore seems to have done a very good job of integrating private and public health care. Though much of it is private, the government still guarantees universal health care and enforces various checks and balances to keep the private sector in check.

[Machjo]

Since it is a government service contracted out, it is overseen by the Auditor General, an independent arm of government. As I said, this isn't two tier. It is like anything else the government buys. In this case, it is a service and as such, it has to meet criteria as set by the government.

Even if paid for out of a person's personal wealth, the government can still regulate it. This is what's done in Singapore and it works well. You can pay out of your own savings orif you can't afford it the tovernment pays, but either way it's still regulated to ensure no unfair exploitation.

[bush_cheney2004]

Yah BC, I have a question. Why do you so desperately want to put down our system in order to raise your shabby monsterous one up? Why not improve your system in steady of degrading ours? Ghandi said - to para-phrase.."It is a small man that finds his self esteem in the belittlment of others."

Because the same can be said of Canadian rants about the USA.....and it is not limited to health care. We have already established that Canada defines itself and its institutions in US terms.

Your "system" is fine for everyone except those who want or can get something better...and that includes some Canadians.

[bush_cheney2004]

Isn't it the case that Medicare is broke, Dr. Ron Paul likes to say it anyway?

Nope....Dr. Ron Paul is broke.

[whowhere]

We shouldn't be talking about anything until Canaada moves away from it's corruption. In the US, if a drug company, hospitals, or anyone so much as make a slight mistake in their care of you, lawyers would be on them faster than flies on crap. Yes Canada, may have health care but it is sub standard. The doctors are under no threat of legal consequences for their negligence. We don't have hungary lawyers eager to pounce on the negligetn. Canada can't have a health system like the US because we have corrupt legal checks and balances. Corporations are free to be abusive and negligent in Canada without fear of consequences from the Conservatives.

The Conservatives are a corrupt party who have created a Canada that pays 100% more retail costs for Beer, Food, and 40% percent more for Gas. Under the conservative you dream to be a human being but have been made to be economically exploitatet. What little Canadians do make is going to prop up the garbage health care system that only serves a minority at the expense of the majority.

AS I said, negligence in the US would result in a torrent of litigation. Negligence in Canada is way of life for corporations and the incompetent health care we have. Until Canada fixes its ability to go after the corrupt we can't discuss private health care.

This is what the conservative want, you to to be grateful for the shite the serve to you, and tell you it is steak. Get them out of office.

[Guest TrueMetis]

AS I said, negligence in the US would result in a torrent of litigation. Negligence in Canada is way of life for corporations and the incompetent health care we have. Until Canada fixes its ability to go after the corrupt we can't discuss private health care.

Have you seen the shit people get away with in the US?

[fellowtraveller]

I already said early on that we have two tier of public and private. I consider all private as second tier, by the way.

Drug, dental, semi-private rooms, physiotherapy, podiatrists, speech pathology and registered dietitians are mostly private care.

In Canada, we have to be thinking more clearly on how to balance public and private care to control costs, make it run more efficiently and produce the best results.

This overlooks the largest-by far- private sector involvement in health care: physicians.

Very very few doctors are employed by the state, the majority are and always have been self -employed.

The balance is already heavily to private sector.

[jdobbin]

This overlooks the largest-by far- private sector involvement in health care: physicians.

Very very few doctors are employed by the state, the majority are and always have been self -employed.

The balance is already heavily to private sector.

But their rates are paid for in general by the public.

It has been a partnership and this is why it has cost Canada less to administer the program.

[fellowtraveller]

But their rates are paid for in general by the public.

So what? They are still private sector and can opt out whenever they please. The only thing that is under contract is the fee paid for the service, otherwise the doctors can work where they please without notice. Our health care service is founded on private practicioners paid for by the public. There is a pernicious campaign to try and pretend that our system is somehow all 'public', which is patently untrue. Hello, 'Friends of Medicare'.

It has been a partnership and this is why it has cost Canada less to administer the program.

'Partnership'? In what way? It has been a conveneince for the physicians and a benefit for citizens, but to call it a partnership stretches the defnition of the word to absurd lengths. If a better deal presented itself, plenty of doctors would defect, they are business persons as well as practicioners.

I agree that it has resulted in less cost to provinces overall.

[Oleg Bach]

This overlooks the largest-by far- private sector involvement in health care: physicians.

Very very few doctors are employed by the state, the majority are and always have been self -employed.

The balance is already heavily to private sector.

When you set up a practice you are setting up a private company. Spoke to a doctor once when the young kid cracked his ankle leaping about on his skate board..he said it's a "modified priviate system" - meaning he takes pubic as well as private money...It's not a bad system - it employs a lot of people - those on disablity still get chase about by private collection agents when they don't pay extra for the crutches... Everyone is happy - but I can't stand those rusty ambulances that they transport old people out of hospitals - back to the old folks facility - not effecient and they cause a bottle neck effect at the exit end of hospitals tying up beds - because a second rate private company does not do their job well - plus they are abusive when they drive these meat wagons about going over bumps and corners tossing the old bag of bones in the back all about like fire wood.