The Health Care System

[cakadu]

Cowman, many of us are working hard and trying to do our best. Unfortunately, we are being hit with hefty costs just to live and they are continually increasing. Housing prices are astronomical, heat and power keep going up, user fees for various things are increasing, etc. etc.

Many are not living any different than they have been and yet their hard earned dollars are buying less. Have you looked at the cost of living in a place like Calgary recently? If you cannot afford to buy, rents are over the moon.

One has to bear in mind that here in Alberta in the 90's when we were going through our austerity program, we were blowing up hospitals and shutting so many things down. Now we are bursting at the seams and we don't have enough to keep up. We got so far behind that we are having a devil of a time even beginning to get back to where we were, let alone get ahead.

A friend of mine is a nurse and she tells me that the nursing shortage is only going to get worse, not better. Many are going through the nursing programs here and then heading to the U.S. because the mone and working conditions are so much better.

We need to get into the health regions and really have a look at the costs. Are some of these people worth the salaries they are paid? We won't know until we see what they are doing and what is going on with the funds. Is someone worth a $1 million salary - needs to be looked at don't you think?

[wilagro]

cakadu: In our local "Health Authority" (what a stupid designation), the Publicity Director receives over $100,000 which includes basic pay of over $70,000 plus other percs. He/she has an assistant or two as well. All this person does is liason with the Dep't of Health (note the old designation), and send public announcements to the local press as well as run the website and post minutes of meetings, etc..

The board is all appointed by the provincial gov't of course and each and everyone of them is well connected with the local PC party apparatus.

If you go to the website of your local Health Authirity, you can find out which board members showed up for meetings and how much they get paid for the year if you dig a little.

[ivbinconned]

"I won't commment on health care in other provinces because I am not qualified to do so, I do know that Alberta has state of the art hospitals, cancer clinics, childrens hospitals etc., that have been possible due to the fact that this province has the funds to build them, whether other provinces such as Saskatchewan have similar facilities isn't something I am aware of."

With out doing a comparison copper, with other provinces with declining populations, it was as I thought...just an OPINION when you suggested blame should be attributed to "newcomers"...right??

By commenting on it the way you did...with out having all the facts means you should not be commenting on health care in Alberta either!!

Its ok to have a bias about were the birthplace of leadership hopfuls should have been, or anyting else for that matter that you think might be impacted by those not "born" in Alberta.

Just be up front about it and stop pretending your views are anything but that...your opinion!

[wilagro]

cakadu: I referred to the "Publicity Director" in the foregoing posting. I should have said, "Communication Officer", my error.

wilagro

[coppertop]

IVEBIN, I don't know how you have read into my comments that newcomers were entirely responsible for the increase in health costs in Alberta.

There were 42,000 births in Alberta in 2006, I would assume that some of those would have been new families moving into this province, and they would fit into the age group that you felt wouldn't be the ones using the health care system as much.

Quite frankly, I don't really enjoy your continual challenges of every comment I make on this site. Obviously you have set your self up as someone who judges the rest of us, and if that blows your hair back go for it.

I enjoy reading the opinions of others, and as far as I am aware this is still a free country where we can all voice opinions on issues. Whether you agree with them or not doesn't matter to me one single bit. Far more important things happening in my world than gaining your approval everytime I have an opinion, and I am sure other contributors and readers of this site aren't the least bit interested in infighting amongst users.

Most people who access this site are mature individuals with much more to do than bicker, and second guess every comment made by others.

[cowman]

Linda: I am not against looking at the costs and whether some of the decisions have been the right ones? I don't know if someone is worth $1 Million dollars? I know Wayne Gretzky was, but not sure in the public sector? The private sector seems to think several people are?
I'm a "little person" not a mover or shaker so I really don't know?
If someone saves me $20 million...then I guess $1 million is a good deal?
I sometimes wonder if it is like thisbare with me...I see things as a little person?) If I own an oil company and I pay the drilling consultant $1800/day...is that silly? If that drilling consultant brings in the well and I make $1 million a month on the well was the expense justified? If instead I hire Joe Blow off the street and he brings in a duster, plus he loses all the tools down the hole and I lose everything...was I being really dumb?
I think people are basically paid what they are worth...at least in the private sector...not so sure about the public sector? It has been my experience if you are good enough you don't stay in the public sector? Just my opinion.