Small Quebec towns turn to 'health co-ops'

[Canuck E Stan]

Quebec communities find innovative cure for doctor shortages

Fed up with a shortage of doctors, this Laurentian town of 3,000 went out and courted potential doctors with an innovative action plan being increasingly used by small towns in Quebec to cure their doctor deficits.

What St. Adolphe did was very simple: It went door to door and got 600 residents to pledge $50 each, year after year, to create a fund that would be used to underwrite the expenses of a local medical clinic.

For $50 annually, 600 residents of St. Adolphe have each bought shares in La Cooperative de Sante Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard, which officially opened last month in a formerly under-used medical clinic behind a pharmacy on the main street.

It's worked for these folks for over 10 years now.

Is this considered privitization? The doctors like it and so do the patients.

Is this an idea for health care to follow?

[Keepitsimple]

What a great idea....and so simple!

[blueblood]

I like my co-ops and am a member at one in town concerning fuel and groceries. But being a member of a co-op should give its contributers perks, I get 110 bucks every year from groceries. These members don't get that much in return as non-members get doctor access as well off the backs of the members. In that case, the town would be better off imposing a 50 dollar tax on everyone to pay for doctor expenses.

[August1991]

What a great idea....and so simple!

It's also illegal under the Canada Health Act. It is contrary to the principle of a single payer.

This used to be known as "extra-billing".

Incidentally, several Quebec day care centres were recently told to stop collecting extra money from parents - even though the parents happily paid it. The money was to be used for specila activities for their children.

[geoffrey]

Incidentally, several Quebec day care centres were recently told to stop collecting extra money from parents - even though the parents happily paid it. The money was to be used for specila activities for their children.

B.C. schools had to cut extra ciricular programs for students when one parent complained that additional fees were 'illegal.' B.C. court agreed and the school board cancelled everything.

What a great solution hey...

blueblood, you don't need a dividend cheque to get a benefit, sometimes a cost savings (Mountain Equipment Co-op) or in this case access is what you earn with your membership.

[jbg]

What a great idea....and so simple!

It's also illegal under the Canada Health Act. It is contrary to the principle of a single payer.

This used to be known as "extra-billing".

Incidentally, several Quebec day care centres were recently told to stop collecting extra money from parents - even though the parents happily paid it. The money was to be used for specila activities for their children.

Wasn't that struck down by the Supreme Court?

[blueblood]

blueblood, you don't need a dividend cheque to get a benefit, sometimes a cost savings (Mountain Equipment Co-op) or in this case access is what you earn with your membership.

Yes, but to elaborate in this case the people who don't pay membership get the same benefits as those that do pay, whats the point in paying?, I'd have a problem with it, if those people didn't have a problem with it then fine. If those who paid got priority access then that would be fair. If the town wanted to cover the costs of the doctor coming for all the town to enjoy then a 50 dollar increase in municipal tax would have been satisfactory.