[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Most of the infrastructure problems you're talking about are created at the city level. Everything is catch up right now, everything is NEEDED now. Problem is that when the economy busts, we'll finally be caught up with infrastructure... so you can look at that like it's planning ahead...

We all know it is mostly cities that require the infrastructure, not sure why you are bring that up. The responsibility falls on both the provincial and municipal governments. Both have done a pis poor job in planning. If you think we will all be caught up when we hit a bust, you are sadly mistaken. It will be years until we are caught up, the problem is, we will have no money left to pay when we do hit a bust......I'm really not sure what the heck you are arguing here....I think you are just arguing for the sake of arguing.

Originally Posted by firefly

Your idea to pay for the education of doctors in return for their agreeing to work here for a certain period of time was another idea to throw money at the issue. It wouldn't solve anything, it wouldn't save any money. You still have to pay the doctors when they actually work, they certainly aren't going to do it for free.

WRONG....the biggest problem in our healthcare system is the lack of people. Increasing seats within the universities and providing free education to those who are willing to work for 10 years in Alberta will solve a lot of problems. Never did I say that we are going to have these doctors work for free, you pay them the going rate, no more no less. Provide good funding for research and development and we will keep quality doctors. It is a much better idea than sticking with the status quo with which I assume is your idea, since you haven't given any idea at all other than argue.

Originally Posted by firefly

You're right, we can do more innovative things to improve healthcare. We already are. The government has many programs in place to help people lead healthy lives for life.

Oh they do..do they? So many programs to keep us healthy eh. The fact that physical education has taken a back burner to primary and secondary education proves this eh.....nice. You tell me there are MANY programs, yet you fail to mention even one. Then, you arguement out of know where diverts to pharmacists. Again, I think you like to argue just to see your words on the screen.

Originally Posted by firefly

However, you can't allow pharmacists to refill prescriptions without seeing a doctor first.

And I said the contrary where?

Originally Posted by firefly

Firstly, a pharmacists is not a doctor

I have now been set straight

Originally Posted by firefly

Secondly, most doctors prescribe medicine that should help a person until the end of their sickness, or until they want to see you again.

That is the key word....they want to see you as much as possible so they can collect their fee for seeing a patient. You obviously do not reguire long term medication or frequent refills to a prescription or you would realize that it is not even as close to as simple as what you are stating.

Originally Posted by firefly

For example, birth control prescriptions are for one year, as a female needs a physical annually. If your prescription hasn't cured your illness, then chances are it's treating the wrong thing and you need to see your doctor again anyways! People would potentially be taking the wrong medications for life if you just allow pharmacists to refill them.

I am not trying to be a dick here but can you keep your arguements in a logical order instead of switching from one topic to another at random....again, just from this statement, you really do not know what you are talking about. Not that I am a doctor or work in the medical field, but I have several family memebers with cronic illnesses that require many trips to the doctor, and many of them are required just to refill a prescription. Having to drive down to the doctors office, wait in line for usually an hour or more, just to have him write another prescirption that took 2 minutes to do.

Originally Posted by firefly

Again though, my point in all this is that UNTIL the problem is fixed, throwing money at it is the only thing they can do.

Nice....throw money at something that we all know doesn't work properly.....wow.

More doctors to lower wait times = more money. Reworking the system requires careful planning and studying before it's actually done, which also requires money. You can't change it overnight, and until then, you have to pay for it.

And here is where the short term think is.....the long term effect would reduce the shortage of doctors and reduce the cost of the system.....but having said everything I just said......the health care system is not the REAL problem....it is us....the people that use it and abuse it.....the people that do not make health choices, the people that run to the emegerency room for a hang nail.....

But go ahead, keep arguing with me....all I said was maybe...just maybe we deserve a tax reduction since we have had...how many billion dollar surpluses in a row????? I didn't even say we had to reduce the income tax rate....as simple as removing the regressive health care premium.....but no matter.