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Reply With QuoteCue line of liberals to:Originally Posted by tsquare
A) Accuse you of wanting people to die in the streets.
B) Call you names.
C) Blame the evil (pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, George Bush).
D) Propose higher taxes on the rich.
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Moderator
Soaring costs force Canada to reassess health model
Anybody remember how, during the US HC debate, how conservatives were pounded by liberals over 'well Canada's got HC! We should too!'Pressured by an aging population and the need to rein in budget deficits, Canada's provinces are taking tough measures to curb healthcare costs, a trend that could erode the principles of the popular state-funded system.
Ontario, Canada's most populous province, kicked off a fierce battle with drug companies and pharmacies when it said earlier this year it would halve generic drug prices and eliminate "incentive fees" to generic drug manufacturers.
British Columbia is replacing block grants to hospitals with fee-for-procedure payments and Quebec has a new flat health tax and a proposal for payments on each medical visit -- an idea that critics say is an illegal user fee.
And a few provinces are also experimenting with private funding for procedures such as hip, knee and cataract surgery.
It's likely just a start as the provinces, responsible for delivering healthcare, cope with the demands of a retiring baby-boom generation. Official figures show that senior citizens will make up 25 percent of the population by 2036.
"There's got to be some change to the status quo whether it happens in three years or 10 years," said Derek Burleton, senior economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank.
"We can't continually see health spending growing above and beyond the growth rate in the economy because, at some point, it means crowding out of all the other government services.
"At some stage we're going to hit a breaking point."
Naaaahhh... I didn't think so.
Hee...Ontario says healthcare could eat up 70 percent of its budget in 12 years, if all these costs are left unchecked.
The welfare state can not stand... they all fail.
Secretary of State
Cue line of liberals to:
A) Accuse you of wanting people to die in the streets.
B) Call you names.
C) Blame the evil (pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, George Bush).
D) Propose higher taxes on the rich.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add "within the limits of the law" because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Isaac H Tiffany (1819)
Secretary of State
There is no question that Canadian health care costs are a problem. Its inevitable with all the baby boomers reaching retirement.
Just because a government program is outdated and needs modification doesn't mean its a bad idea. If the reforms are done, the system will be fine. Being conservatives though I would expect nothing less from you guys to tout the hard times as some sort of vindication of having opposed your recent health care bill. The only vindication here is that countries with state funded care cover everyone and pay much less per capita than you. That argument is so strong its the only one I need. People aren't selling their homes when they get sick in modern countries. You'll get to the 21st century eventually but I congratulate you on at least making it to the 20th with your new health care bill.
Moderator
As shown in post #3.
And never ever addressing the root of the issue... their FAILED system.
Secretary of Defense
Sure you all want to site that healthcare for the masses is wrong, but never recognize all the money wasted on war(s)
to live is to suffer-Fritz lang
Secretary of State
hey man when you can get people to stop killing each other you let us know and we'll switch the money from defense to free medical care. Don't really see that happening though. Unless you have a mind control device or something.
Vice President
Plenty of money gets wasted on wars and Mandated Health Care Insurance isn't health care for the masses, it's Mandated Health Care Insurance.
Secretary of Defense
How can it be manditory when you have options to not having it forced upon you?
to live is to suffer-Fritz lang
Secretary of Defense
Our nation never had a large standing military until after WWII, yet we still managed to defend ourselves
to live is to suffer-Fritz lang
Secretary of Defense
then u have a waste of money called the war on drugs, billions wasted on something the masses do no want to follow.
to live is to suffer-Fritz lang
Secretary of Defense
all drug testing in the USA is paid for by the government, and some businesses, but grants pay for the majority of all drug testing efforts, which can be faked easily
to live is to suffer-Fritz lang
Vice President
The reform bill requires one to be covered by health care insurance or face fines. Of course one could game the system by accepting the fines but that doesn't change the nature of government mandated Health Care Insurance.
Legend of USPO
Lemme guess...they'll raise taxes. Looks like tax freedom day in Canada is going to end up aaround August.
Take a good hard look, it's coming.
Legend of USPO!
Clearly, these lower per-capita costs you are paying are insufficient to sustain your healthcare system.
Therefore, what you are currently paying is a meaningless measure. Let's see what you wind up paying once your costs are raised to keep the system solvent, and we'll talk.
Matt
President
TSquare,
You do realize that health care costs are also out of control in the private for-profit health system as well don't you?
Canada is not going to eliminate universal health care. Canada will reform, add some private services, and continue to fund health care for all. As it should be.
It will never be perfect, but nothing ever is.
Andrew
“...corporations and those who run them cannot stop exploiting resources and amassing wealth until they have... .I cannot finish this sentence, because the truth is that can never stop; like cancer, they can only continue to expand until they kill the host.”
-- Derrick Jensen
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