Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

How do you know that?

The problem is our Healthcare System, that we have benefited from for the past 50+ years, is chronically underfunded. And because our government is creating laws which limits our Country from capitalizing on the development of our resources, there is no long range plan or hope to prevent the System from getting worse.

Therefore, we have to make changes, and change is always one of the most difficult thing to accept.

At least having a two tier system accomplishes two things:

1. It makes the rich pay more

2. It takes some of the pressure off the system.

Some doctors will want to stay small, and form their own clinic, and others will join the bigger organizations with pensions, etc..

This post reads like trickle down economics being applied to universal healthcare.

Bonus points for throwing in your usual plug for natural resources.

This isn’t a change, it’s an ongoing part of the problem.

[flamesfever]

Why are there so few in our society that want to be doctors? Is it because of the high BPA requirement. because of the future working conditions, the high taxes? the lack of character in our youth?

[PepsiFree]

The only pressure that private healthcare relieves is pressure in the government to fund a better solution and better outcomes.

There are plenty of studies that show that it does not relieve system pressure and, instead, leads to a further erosion of the public system with even worse issues of under-funding.

It’s a bit laughable to say it simply means the rich pay more. What honest person would take that statement at face value? Yes, they pay more. For what? For faster access and better treatment. And in a system with finite resources like healthcare, that naturally means that those who cannot pay or can pay but pay far less will be left with slower access and worse treatment. People shouldn’t be afraid to use their brains a bit here.

[GGG]

With these fee for membership clinics are they also billing the government for the services they provide? They would be at least for lab services so I don’t like that but do they also charge the province for a check up?

I don’t mind a completely parallel system as we already have that with our access to the US health care system. The things that bother me are you pay for an MRI and then you get to cut the line to see a specialist because your diagnostics are done. Or you go get surgery done in the US/Mexico/India but all your follow up treatment is here on the public system.

Most of these schemes seem to try to use the public funding as much as possible and use money only where required to beat bottlenecks.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Why are there so few in our society that want to be doctors? Is it because of the high BPA requirement. because of the future working conditions, the high taxes? the lack of character in our youth?

It's because our government limits spaces for medical education, not because people don't want to. I'll let you puzzle out why they would do that.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Why are there so few in our society that want to be doctors?

Do you think med schools are struggling for applicants and have empty seats?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Why are there so few in our society that want to be doctors? Is it because of the high BPA requirement. because of the future working conditions, the high taxes? the lack of character in our youth?

It’s because of limited training spots in our universities.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Do you think med schools are struggling for applicants and have empty seats?

Then perhaps we need more med schools.

With so many in med schools, why have we a doctor shortage? Is there a high failure rate?

[Muta]

According to the UCP though, everything is fine and med students want to stay and develop their careers here. Also, all doctors want to be here and are idiots if they want to leave. If for some godforsaken / absurd reason that they need more doctors here, well then they'll just easily import doctors from all over the world, since it's just that easy to find qualified doctors with an outstanding educational pedigree.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

That clinic is my clinic. Dr. Talbot-Jones is a good doctor who we followed half way across the city, because we trusted her and knowing finding a new doctor would be a pain in the ass.

This can't be alleviating any pressure off the system. For those in her clinic, you either have to pay, or be forced into the 1 day a week availability. I mean, it takes a couple of weeks under the "open" system. How long does one think it will take to nab an appointment on the one free day?

[Cube Inmate]

I'm sure the CRA will have some fun when the "members" attempt to deduct their memberships as "medical expenses."

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by GGG

With these fee for membership clinics are they also billing the government for the services they provide? They would be at least for lab services so I don’t like that but do they also charge the province for a check up?

Yes, they bill the government for any services that the government covers. Look at Preventous for example:

https://preventous.com/calgary-priva...e-health-care/

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

That clinic is my clinic. Dr. Talbot-Jones is a good doctor who we followed half way across the city, because we trusted her and knowing finding a new doctor would be a pain in the ass.

This can't be alleviating any pressure off the system. For those in her clinic, you either have to pay, or be forced into the 1 day a week availability. I mean, it takes a couple of weeks under the "open" system. How long does one think it will take to nab an appointment on the one free day?

Do you plan to stay with her?

[looooob]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Then perhaps we need more med schools.

With so many in med schools, why have we a doctor shortage? Is there a high failure rate?

failure rate is not particularly high- these are high performing folks and both them and the system have a vested interest in them getting through


most docs (despite some conspiracy theories to the contrary) would welcome more colleagues (either through local training routes or otherwise) , however it is worth pointing out that at least some of the 'burden' on training more doctors will fall on the already overworked docs in the system. Many (not all of course) like and or love to teach or inspire others but it can come at a cost (time and emotionally) and does need remuneration

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Muta

According to the UCP though, everything is fine and med students want to stay and develop their careers here. Also, all doctors want to be here and are idiots if they want to leave. If for some godforsaken / absurd reason that they need more doctors here, well then they'll just easily import doctors from all over the world, since it's just that easy to find qualified doctors with an outstanding educational pedigree.

Tut tut, the province already has a plan to attract the best. Danielle Smith guaranteed it.

Dr. 1: Hey, I'm looking at practicing in Canada, should I go to UHN or Sunnybrook in Toronto, or MGH or UofM in Montreal?

Dr. 2: Maybe, but have you heard what's going on in Danielle Smith's Alberta? They're decentralizing their health board!

Dr. 1: SOLD!

[looooob]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Yes, they bill the government for any services that the government covers. Look at Preventous for example:

https://preventous.com/calgary-priva...e-health-care/

another observation I've made is that clinics of this type tend to 'over-refer' to specialists (or with an added sense of urgency) in order in part to keep their paid roster of clientele happy- which also burdens the system trying to actually prioritize these cases.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Do you plan to stay with her?

It is a fair question. I won't pay the fees, of that I am certain.
The family, fortunately, is not a heavy user of medical services, so perhaps we will give it a try and see how difficult it is to schedule an appointment.

The doctor and the clinic isn't stupid. I think they know a certain number will pay and a certain number will leave and I suspect they will end up with a practice that is full pay with only a notional "free" day. The rest of us will be forced to find another doctor.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

It is a fair question. I won't pay the fees, of that I am certain.
The family, fortunately, is not a heavy user of medical services, so perhaps we will give it a try and see how difficult it is to schedule an appointment.

The doctor and the clinic isn't stupid. I think they know a certain number will pay and a certain number will leave and I suspect they will end up with a practice that is full pay with only a notional "free" day. The rest of us will be forced to find another doctor.

and she's still making a healthy living on the free day

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

It is a fair question. I won't pay the fees, of that I am certain.
The family, fortunately, is not a heavy user of medical services, so perhaps we will give it a try and see how difficult it is to schedule an appointment.

The doctor and the clinic isn't stupid. I think they know a certain number will pay and a certain number will leave and I suspect they will end up with a practice that is full pay with only a notional "free" day. The rest of us will be forced to find another doctor.

I imagine there will be some awkward doctor-patient conversations on free day.

As an aside, I bet she’s pissed to be getting national news coverage for something that’s been going on for a while.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Tut tut, the province already has a plan to attract the best. Danielle Smith guaranteed it.

Dr. 1: Hey, I'm looking at practicing in Canada, should I go to UHN or Sunnybrook in Toronto, or MGH or UofM in Montreal?

Dr. 2: Maybe, but have you heard what's going on in Danielle Smith's Alberta? They're decentralizing their health board!

Dr. 1: SOLD!

Yeah, a half-decent start would be things like… not creating a hostile environment for healthcare workers, not shutting down healthcare facilities and cutting funding for places like labs, actually using federally-allocated funds for healthcare on healthcare… you know, simple stuff.

But then UCP voters shrug their shoulders and say “gosh it’s just so hard to figure out what could be contributing to this problem… oh well, better privatize!”