The Health Care System

[cowman]

I assure you Horse...I am not a politician...and have no desire to be one!
I don't know...does it concern you that we spend $11 billion plus a year on healthcare...out of a $27 billion budget? And that it is the fastest growing public expense in the province?
Now maybe old Ed is going to uncover billions in savings...but I doubt it? Do you think Klein and company never looked for savings...of which Ed and his new cabinet were all members of?
Unless you don't know it, there already is "two tiered" medicare? Its real easy. If you have the money you go to the States, pay the bill, and save your life...if you don't...you stay with Canada healthcare and die!
Not pretty, but very true!
I don't know exactly what the Klein plan was? He never revealed it! Everytime he suggested any solution the howl went up about "Americanization"! I would suspect the "Third Way" was a combination of privatization of service delivery, consolidation, limited medical insurance?
There are solutions out there. Many countries in the world have better systems than ours, at a much lower cost?
Mr. Stelmach is no dummie...he proved that by getting elected? And he's playing smart politics with this proposal to check everything out? And who knows...maybe he's sincere? It is just my opinion that the system needs a radical overhaul...I might be totally wrong! I guess we'll see how his plan works down the road?

[coppertop]

cowman, all throughout Ed's campaign he assured Albertans that he intended to look for efficiencies in the health care system, this isn't something he has decided to do since he became leader. He has heard all along, from doctors, nurses etc. that there is a lot of room for costs savings,so he intends on getting them in the same room with health region representatives to discuss where there can be dollars found.

[cowman]

Well I hope there is a lot of savings to be found? Hopefully enough to offset the 13% increase in health costs in the last year? And hopefully the 13%(or more) this year?
It would be nice to hear that "all is solved and Utopia is again within our grasp"...but I doubt it!
Ralph Klein had close to 16 years to make a dent in it and failed miserably? I hope his boy can.

[coppertop]

I don't ever recall Ralph asking to have a complete accounting of where the dollars were going in health care, he tried to change things but of course the opposition, Raging Grannies and medical unions scared the hell out of people and he backed down. Ed has heard from many people that there is a more efficient way to deliver health care. He had some very highly regarded health professionals working with his leadership team, and I am sure they gave him some good advice.

[Horse]

Cowman you still didnt explain how it is cheaper to go private I realize it is faster if you can pay but WHY that is the question?
Coppertop I cant put a finger on how it is you have a way of saying things like in political talk just as I cant talk Rap but I can get the message but you obvisoly promote the Tory machine so I guess I am assuming that you know the secret of healthcare. I realy do wish you or someone else would explain to the masses.
Mabey we are paying bonuses to all the admin to the tune of other corp in the mills of $ or mabey it is good to keep us wanting so the gov or health regions have a purpose in life ,All I know is that we have had a very stagnant bunch running the show and it is about time to at least present a discusion for a solution.

[coppertop]

horse, every year there are renovations to our local health care centre. NOT for the addition of new beds in long term care where they are desparately needed, but for additional offices for more administration. I have worked in the municipal system and know that administration can become very top heavy if allowed to do so. Each administrator needs admin support people and so on and so on...these dollars could be better utilized to provide beds, MRI machines and technical staff etc....That is why I support any initiative to find extra dollars and trim the fat in health care.

[cakadu]

There are many reasons for the huge increase in health costs - and many other costs for that matter. We can't have the influx of people coming into this province without straining the already existing services, infrastructure etc.

In many instances, the money never gets to where it is needed the most, it gets caught up in bureaucratic layers. I've never been able to understand why all these senior people need so many to help them. One of the biggest brainscratchers in my opinion is in the school system with all the associate superintendents, assistant superintendants and as copper says, they need assistants etc. and all of a sudden there is a little empire.

When we went to the health regions, it seems to me that the costs skyrocketed and it wasn't to put staff or equipment, beds etc. in the hospital.

Even the municipalities are not immune to this - my own county is going to be hiring more people this year. They also voted for a 4% cost of living allowance for everyone this year. Do we need more staff at the County - I don't know, but it seems as though it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

You've mentioned the 27 billion in budgeted spending cowman, but what about all the unbudgeted items this year? Was that really necessary spending? I'm a little more worried about that than some of the other budgeted items.

I most certainly agree that we need to take some responsibility for our lives i.e. smoking, drinking, overeating etc., but there are many instances where people need health care services due to no fault of their own i.e. a car accident.

I also agree with copper in that those without the means to pay for services should not be shunted to the side because there are those that can pay.

[coppertop]

Linda, a 4% cost of living increase is standard this year among municipalities. They, too, are trying to retain staff, and the ones that will leave are the good ones, not the marginal employees.

Increase in population, better technologies, more refined testing etc., have all driven up the cost of health care.

I can't really comment on the school system because I was never on a school board, and haven't had kids in the system for years. I do know that in our area a nearly new school was closed two years ago and is now on the market for less than a third of market value. These are your tax dollars and mine that are going down the drain...

I had an appointment this morning with my family doctor, to get one prescription renewed. His office was full of very sick people, and he was running late. He had a lunch appointment, and I was his last patient before lunch....he asked me what I wanted, I told him, he made a note and phoned the pharmacy to give them the go ahead to repeat the prescription. I walked out very thankfull that I was not among the very ill people there, and also with a resolve to keep myself as healthy as possible !!!

[cowman]

Linda:Of course you are right, we are experiencing a lot of population growth and that adds enormously to costs? And unfortunately the federal government doesn't let the money follow the population through Transfer payments?
I hear you on the county thing. Not sure if the county is hiring more people...haven't heard that? I wonder where they will put them as the County office is bursting at the seams! Might have to add on? LOL
I don't think a 4% increase is out of line? I know drilling consultants who got up to a 25% increase! I believe Alberta Highways employees(County contractor) got 15.7% over three years? I doubt 4% covers the cost of inflation after the government gets done screwing you over?
But I do agree the growth in the beuracracy at the municipality has to be a concern? When they privatized in 1999 37 people went down the road. They have replaced those 37, and added a dozen more, and they are all paper pushers!
Privatization works well if you use it properly...not so well if your use the extra money to create "little empires" of office staff!
Apparently we are going to see "no tax increase for most of the people"? Read that as the people living out in the boonies in a very modest home! The fact is with the amount of money rolling in from the oil and gas, the county should be lowering taxes! But then fighting the war with Red Deer is extremely expensive...as most wars are!

[coppertop]

your property assessment will dictate your tax increase, plus any additional mill rate the county decides to implement. The closer you are to the highway corridor, the city or recreation areas the more your assessment has likely gone up.