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To the Editor of the Sudbury Star,
(Published February 12, 2010)
In his column today, Greg Weston wonders why there is such a fuss about Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams going to the U.S. for a heart procedure not available in his province. After all, Williams has loads of money and he is saving Canada health costs and relieving wait time space by not lining up with the rest of us.
The Health Act has tried to ensure a single tier government provided system where, regardless of means, all Canadians are treated equally. In fact, we have always had a two-tier system giving preference to those with suitable funds. That second tier is the United States.
One statement Weston made particularly caught my eye. "Reality is health care costs are already pushing provincial budgets to the breaking point, and some crucial treatments are only available in a timely way south of the border." This is the real issue highlighted by Williams flight to the land of private health care. And that, Mr. Weston, is a very good reason to 'flap our gums'.
I am a supporter of universal health care, but our model based on a government monopoly providing all the services is in trouble. Costs continue to rise while elective surgery wait times are often excessive and some services (PET scan, anyone?) are denied to certain areas in an arbitrary fashion. The global funding model for hospitals remains a ludicrous way to do business and the 3P hospitals raise a whole other bundle of problems.
I am not upset Danny Williams chose the best health care he could afford. I am, in fact, pleased that it will stimulate yet more discussion and anger about the current Canadian system under siege. Maybe when the politicians and bureaucrats are faced with enough outrage from the citizens, they will change the paradigm promoted by the Canada Health Act and look at some fundamental and meaningful ways to improve the model for health care delivery in this country.
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Jim Robinson
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
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