English Debate

[normanchateau]

What does it matter who delivers the health care, or who puts up the bricks and mortar, as long as you all get 'free heatth care'.    Harper has made it clear that he supports our system and the Canada Health Act  for people to say otherwise is simply wrong and dishonest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It matters to the taxpayer. Harper has proposed that if a health district won't see a patient in a short enough period of time, that patient will be seen elsewhere. In many cases, this will mean taxpayer dollars will funnel into the private healthcare system. This in turn will mean more physicians leaving the public sector for the private sector where salaries are higher. Harper's plan would be unsustainable.

In places like Vancouver where there are long wait lists for some services, the closest hospital with a surplus of spaces for those services is in Bellingham, Washington. That hospital is corporate-run and is eager to have Vancouver clients. Harper's poorly thought out plan does not preclude sending Canadian patients to American for-profit hospitals. Harper's plan might go over well in the US but for Canadian taxpayers, it's potentially a financial disaster.

[cybercoma]

What does it matter who delivers the health care, or who puts up the bricks and mortar, as long as you all get 'free heatth care'.    Harper has made it clear that he supports our system and the Canada Health Act  for people to say otherwise is simply wrong and dishonest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It matters to the taxpayer. Harper has proposed that if a health district won't see a patient in a short enough period of time, that patient will be seen elsewhere. In many cases, this will mean taxpayer dollars will funnel into the private healthcare system. This in turn will mean more physicians leaving the public sector for the private sector where salaries are higher. Harper's plan would be unsustainable.

In places like Vancouver where there are long wait lists for some services, the closest hospital with a surplus of spaces for those services is in Bellingham, Washington. That hospital is corporate-run and is eager to have Vancouver clients. Harper's poorly thought out plan does not preclude sending Canadian patients to American for-profit hospitals. Harper's plan might go over well in the US but for Canadian taxpayers, it's potentially a financial disaster.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, like this is news.

I live in Windsor, Ontario and anytime I want I can go over to a hospital in Detroit and hand them my OHIP card and they'll take me. You don't think this happens already? There is such a shortage of doctors in the area, that if you have a serious enough heart attack and need care immediatly they have no choice but to send you to Detroit, because the 2 hour drive to London, Ontario is not practical.

So if you think our funds aren't going to private care as it is now, you're kidding yourself. It's time for people to take their heads out of the sand and accept a two-tier healthcare system. Using this fear-mongering by drawing parrallels to the american system is nonsense. That's not at all what is being advocated by anyone.

[normanchateau]

So if you think our funds aren't going to private care as it is now,  you're kidding yourself.  It's time for people to take their heads out of the sand and accept a two-tier healthcare system.  Using this fear-mongering by drawing parrallels to the american system is nonsense.  That's not at all what is being advocated by anyone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Show me where I drew parallels to the American system. That's not what I said.

[The Honest Politician]

This isn't the U.S. there is no comparison,  using the U.S. as a bogey man doen't cut it, just a scare tactic.

We have provinces cutting out services to save money, we in Ontario now have to pay for eye tests among other things that were once covered.

The Canada Health Act, at least as it has been interpreted, prevents co-payment, user fees etc. but surely in some cases these would be preferable to taking services and cutting them completely out of the public system.

Personally I believe it is my business how I wish to spend my hard earned $$$ and if I wish to buy an diagnostic service I should be able to, without having to go to Montreal to do it, or the U.S.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Damn right this isn't the USA! And preserving our medicare is a big step in ensuring we never do become like the USA.

Did you not read the post? Health care cost are the #1 reason for people going bankrupt in the US. Entire life savings wiped out because they got sick. Does this not disgust you.

I would have been bankrupt 12 years ago if I had to have paid for my father's medical expenses.

Haven't you heard that a private for profit healthcare system could be argued to be brought under NAFTA. Thereby possibly causing a trade war with our citizens health and well being hanging in the balance.

I used to support two tier medicare, but the idea of my personal heath being put in jeopardy due to a trade war made me rethink the idea.