I think it would be of benefit to assist in curbing abuse of medical services. People will reconsider trips to the ER for a cough, running nose and possible hang nail complaints. I hppen to know of a handful of people who do nothing to resolve simple health issues, always seeking out the medical service for nonsense complaints.
jann - 14 years ago
I haven't seen a doctor in 12 years. Can I, a taxpayer get a rebate? refund? Well if not at least I can't be accused of misusing the system that seems to work too well for some I know. People need to learn to look after themselves when they can and save the doctor visits for serious things.
carol - 14 years ago
I see nothing wrong with establishing a user fee but I think that $25.00 is somewhat high. I would prefer a $10.00
fee for medical service.This may prevent visits for very minor problems but not be too much for the middle/lower economic class to pay. Embedded in a user pay system that could provide exemption to those who cannot pay.
Nina Sewel - 14 years ago
Our health care system, like so many other things we overlook until they're gone (water, clean air, democracy, peace and stability, justice system...) should not be for sale. And, more appropriately, the health of the Canadian public should not be either.
Lets get honest with ourselves - $25 to me, or you may be nothing. But does my ability to shell out the mighty dollar entitle me to better health care? Does it entitle me to more frequent doctor's visits? How about for the people who cannot afford to pay for doctors visits?
The wealthy have historically enjoyed a better standard of health. And, they still do. The rich continue to have access to better, more immediate, more sympathetic care from many health care practitioners than the poor. People living in third world nations still die of complications that could be solved in seconds here. The poor and disenfranchised in our own society are treated in (at times) openly hostile ways by the current system - but without surcharges and additional costs, they can at very least attempt to get the care they need.
Let's not widen the gaps that already exist shall we? Every other bloody first world country has figured out that universal health care is not a "socialist" plot to launch the world into communist rule (except for the US of course). It's a way to take care of everyone in a society. It's a realist perspective that acknowledges that NOT EVERYONE is able to care for themselves but that in a truly civilised society, we work to care for our sisters and brothers who struggle. It's the way we can ensure at least minimum standards of care for EVERYONE, regardless of their income.
Until we decide that poverty is not a choice, nor is it a question of 'being lazy'; until we decide as a society that we reject the yankee cowboy, everyone for themselves attitude, we will never be a truly civilised.
And, once we wrap our heads around the fact that caring for others, is in fact, caring for ourselves... we'll be a much happier nation.
Let's quash the talk of paying for a very important social service, shall we?
Tim Hennigar - 14 years ago
I would like to see a billing of services when we visit the doctor. If our taxes are being used to pay for these services, surely we should be able see what the hospitals and doctors are charging. Perhaps this will allow a little transparency to the system.
M. Davis - 14 years ago
Absolutely not I would hate to feel like I'm paying directly for incompetence. If even more money is needed, take it from taxes of those who can afford it. On the other hand, I woulld be willing to pay if the Dr. actually practiced holistic and preventative medicine. That will not happen with Big Pharma in control of Dr's as it is now.
Gerald Victor - 14 years ago
I am willing to pay a User Fee. I suppose imposing it might deter doctors' visits for minor problems. I do have a question however. Do the residents of Quebec have the Medical Surtax that we in Ontario are hit with on the Ontario Income Tax return?
Ron - 14 years ago
Maybe this would get rid of some of the unecessary doctors visits and free up doctors for more serious patients.
I think it would be of benefit to assist in curbing abuse of medical services. People will reconsider trips to the ER for a cough, running nose and possible hang nail complaints. I hppen to know of a handful of people who do nothing to resolve simple health issues, always seeking out the medical service for nonsense complaints.
I haven't seen a doctor in 12 years. Can I, a taxpayer get a rebate? refund? Well if not at least I can't be accused of misusing the system that seems to work too well for some I know. People need to learn to look after themselves when they can and save the doctor visits for serious things.
I see nothing wrong with establishing a user fee but I think that $25.00 is somewhat high. I would prefer a $10.00
fee for medical service.This may prevent visits for very minor problems but not be too much for the middle/lower economic class to pay. Embedded in a user pay system that could provide exemption to those who cannot pay.
Our health care system, like so many other things we overlook until they're gone (water, clean air, democracy, peace and stability, justice system...) should not be for sale. And, more appropriately, the health of the Canadian public should not be either.
Lets get honest with ourselves - $25 to me, or you may be nothing. But does my ability to shell out the mighty dollar entitle me to better health care? Does it entitle me to more frequent doctor's visits? How about for the people who cannot afford to pay for doctors visits?
The wealthy have historically enjoyed a better standard of health. And, they still do. The rich continue to have access to better, more immediate, more sympathetic care from many health care practitioners than the poor. People living in third world nations still die of complications that could be solved in seconds here. The poor and disenfranchised in our own society are treated in (at times) openly hostile ways by the current system - but without surcharges and additional costs, they can at very least attempt to get the care they need.
Let's not widen the gaps that already exist shall we? Every other bloody first world country has figured out that universal health care is not a "socialist" plot to launch the world into communist rule (except for the US of course). It's a way to take care of everyone in a society. It's a realist perspective that acknowledges that NOT EVERYONE is able to care for themselves but that in a truly civilised society, we work to care for our sisters and brothers who struggle. It's the way we can ensure at least minimum standards of care for EVERYONE, regardless of their income.
Until we decide that poverty is not a choice, nor is it a question of 'being lazy'; until we decide as a society that we reject the yankee cowboy, everyone for themselves attitude, we will never be a truly civilised.
And, once we wrap our heads around the fact that caring for others, is in fact, caring for ourselves... we'll be a much happier nation.
Let's quash the talk of paying for a very important social service, shall we?
I would like to see a billing of services when we visit the doctor. If our taxes are being used to pay for these services, surely we should be able see what the hospitals and doctors are charging. Perhaps this will allow a little transparency to the system.
Absolutely not I would hate to feel like I'm paying directly for incompetence. If even more money is needed, take it from taxes of those who can afford it. On the other hand, I woulld be willing to pay if the Dr. actually practiced holistic and preventative medicine. That will not happen with Big Pharma in control of Dr's as it is now.
I am willing to pay a User Fee. I suppose imposing it might deter doctors' visits for minor problems. I do have a question however. Do the residents of Quebec have the Medical Surtax that we in Ontario are hit with on the Ontario Income Tax return?
Maybe this would get rid of some of the unecessary doctors visits and free up doctors for more serious patients.