http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/257556
After browsing through the Canadian Health Coalition website, I cam across a tantalizing article. One that I felt really hammers home my beliefs about Private Hospital Care in any facet.
"A constitutional challenge to Ontario legislation that prohibits the purchase of private health insurance for medically necessary health-care services (dubbed the "Ontario Chaoulli") was announced on Sept. 5.
It's another call for increased privatization, based on the misinformed notion that an expanded role for private insurance will remedy wait times in Canada."
Monday, November 19, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Youth and Politics
I honestly don't know how many of you out there are becoming alarmed with the growing apathy to politics in our country. I say this as a member of youth community, trying become more involved and attempting to bridge some of the gaps between youth and politics. However I will admit it is not easy, young people are disillusioned with the constant "bickering", Scandals and general lying that politicians traditionally embark.
According to a recent article published by the Ottawa Citizen. When comparing the United States to Canada some "56 per cent of young Americans were unable to identify citizens as the category of people having the right to vote, compared to 43 per cent in Canada."
As well, "About 60 per cent of young people seem to have no ability to make relevant distinctions about political life in their own country. In Canada, it's a little bit better, but not much." - Researcher Henry Milner, the author of the study.
So then the question is "How do we change that apathy?"
Part of an NDP new strategy one that is becoming more and more publicized in the media, is the option of making civics programs not only taught earlier in school but made a mandatory full year course or 2 in High School.
According to a recent article published by the Ottawa Citizen. When comparing the United States to Canada some "56 per cent of young Americans were unable to identify citizens as the category of people having the right to vote, compared to 43 per cent in Canada."
As well, "About 60 per cent of young people seem to have no ability to make relevant distinctions about political life in their own country. In Canada, it's a little bit better, but not much." - Researcher Henry Milner, the author of the study.
So then the question is "How do we change that apathy?"
Part of an NDP new strategy one that is becoming more and more publicized in the media, is the option of making civics programs not only taught earlier in school but made a mandatory full year course or 2 in High School.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Health Care; what we can do to help
More funding needs to come from the Feds. With that being said we also need to increase the importance of the Health Promotion Minister, currently Canadian Medicine is based 95% on treatment of the problem rather than on promoting health solutions to keep people out of our hospitals.
One thing that might be good from Cuba that employs a socialist style health care, would be having doctors or nurse practitioners go to the patient. In France they have a program where a Doctor drives in an emergency vehicle to the patient to alleviate health problems or early diagnose problems that may require more direct treatments.
There should be a stress on the abilities that both the Provincial Government and the Federal Government do to aid in health care. Making peoples lives more healthy is a goal that needs to be addressed. 35 hour work week, 3-4 weeks of paid leave which can be contributed by the 70/30 by the government and business respectively. As well this could help to increase jobs for company's because the government isn't making businesses bleed out their money in sick or vacation time.
The Universal Drug Benefit should also be coupled with Universal Dental and Optic Coverage. We are trying to promote Universal HEALTH CARE, and all of these areas Medicine, Vision, Drugs and Dental Coverage are all aspects that lead to better overall health.
So how do we do this?
We do what has been suggested and tried before, increase the federal importance on health care by splitting the costs 50/50 - Feds/Provinces. As well smart spending, instead of giving away so many tax exemptions to company's that don't need them we can use those benefits to improve the health care system.
Make Tuition FREE for all Nursing Students (RN, RPN/LPN, Psych Nursing, Nurse Practitioners) and Medical Students (as well as specialties). This will lower wait times because we will have more people to help the client/patient when we need it. Currently in Ontario you could have 1 nurse for 8 patients in a Emergency Room. What kind of care can you really make an impact on the client when you see them for 1 hour a day. As well the influx of new students will allow more doctors and nurses to come back and teach. In the hospitals we have a lot of mentoring from nursing leaders, something that we can use more of in the classroom. More nurses means more teachers that are able to teach, more students. Building stronger nursing and medical positions because we have more people able to teach. We can branch out more schools and more programs.
COMPLETE BAN ON ALL PRIVATE HEALTH CARE, including Private Public Partnerships that just suck money out from the health care system.
My reply to John Owen Dreaddy the CAC Interim Leader on Nov 12, 2007 at 4:43 PM.
My good man the moment you open up the market to be two tier, in any shape or form COSTS GO UP. Something that you may not understand thinking that you don't mind going to the states and dropping $1000 for an MRI. For people on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum that matters.
Lets make a simple non-life threatening analogy:
You want to buy a car, said car costs $10,000. Now you have $10,000 but the sales man whats you to but the car for $5,000 and get yourself on a lease to own plan for the next say 10 years. Rate of interest is .05%. So the car sales man says you pay $43.75/month. Then you gotta pay insurance and for the sake of this argument lets say that insurance is $100. You pay $143.75/month for 10 Years, so now your paying $17,250 for the car that originally cost $10,000. Now over the course of 10 Years your would have only paid $1000 for insurance and $10,000 for the car. This equates to a grand total of .........$11,000.
NOW YOU TELL ME WHY WE DO THE LEASE FOR HOSPITALS?
Well this is something that we can correct and I challenge everyone to join with me and help make the Health Care System a Top Priority again. Force the government (not just our government) to give a damn again.
One thing that might be good from Cuba that employs a socialist style health care, would be having doctors or nurse practitioners go to the patient. In France they have a program where a Doctor drives in an emergency vehicle to the patient to alleviate health problems or early diagnose problems that may require more direct treatments.
There should be a stress on the abilities that both the Provincial Government and the Federal Government do to aid in health care. Making peoples lives more healthy is a goal that needs to be addressed. 35 hour work week, 3-4 weeks of paid leave which can be contributed by the 70/30 by the government and business respectively. As well this could help to increase jobs for company's because the government isn't making businesses bleed out their money in sick or vacation time.
The Universal Drug Benefit should also be coupled with Universal Dental and Optic Coverage. We are trying to promote Universal HEALTH CARE, and all of these areas Medicine, Vision, Drugs and Dental Coverage are all aspects that lead to better overall health.
So how do we do this?
We do what has been suggested and tried before, increase the federal importance on health care by splitting the costs 50/50 - Feds/Provinces. As well smart spending, instead of giving away so many tax exemptions to company's that don't need them we can use those benefits to improve the health care system.
Make Tuition FREE for all Nursing Students (RN, RPN/LPN, Psych Nursing, Nurse Practitioners) and Medical Students (as well as specialties). This will lower wait times because we will have more people to help the client/patient when we need it. Currently in Ontario you could have 1 nurse for 8 patients in a Emergency Room. What kind of care can you really make an impact on the client when you see them for 1 hour a day. As well the influx of new students will allow more doctors and nurses to come back and teach. In the hospitals we have a lot of mentoring from nursing leaders, something that we can use more of in the classroom. More nurses means more teachers that are able to teach, more students. Building stronger nursing and medical positions because we have more people able to teach. We can branch out more schools and more programs.
COMPLETE BAN ON ALL PRIVATE HEALTH CARE, including Private Public Partnerships that just suck money out from the health care system.
My reply to John Owen Dreaddy the CAC Interim Leader on Nov 12, 2007 at 4:43 PM.
My good man the moment you open up the market to be two tier, in any shape or form COSTS GO UP. Something that you may not understand thinking that you don't mind going to the states and dropping $1000 for an MRI. For people on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum that matters.
Lets make a simple non-life threatening analogy:
You want to buy a car, said car costs $10,000. Now you have $10,000 but the sales man whats you to but the car for $5,000 and get yourself on a lease to own plan for the next say 10 years. Rate of interest is .05%. So the car sales man says you pay $43.75/month. Then you gotta pay insurance and for the sake of this argument lets say that insurance is $100. You pay $143.75/month for 10 Years, so now your paying $17,250 for the car that originally cost $10,000. Now over the course of 10 Years your would have only paid $1000 for insurance and $10,000 for the car. This equates to a grand total of .........$11,000.
NOW YOU TELL ME WHY WE DO THE LEASE FOR HOSPITALS?
Well this is something that we can correct and I challenge everyone to join with me and help make the Health Care System a Top Priority again. Force the government (not just our government) to give a damn again.
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