New Teaching Contract

[lph]

Well, I guess there's a kind of bizarre logic in being allowed to send your family through the windshield if you want, as long as you pay for the ambulance, the ER and every minute of sewing them up again afterwards yourself... Justifying, quantifying and paying for the trauma to everybody else who witnessed it, friends, co-workers and family is a bit harder.

Sorry to be facetious, but it's really hard for me to get my mind around the idea that society as a whole somehow does not suffer and therefore should not care about or try to prevent bad things happening to individuals.

[Veronica]

Where does the line get drawn at the role of government in protecting individuals from themselves? How much power do you want to give your government over you?

Veronica

[lph]

Personally, quite a lot. For someone else, maybe not so much. I'll leave it at that.

[Crankin]

I have no problems with the government protecting us from ourselves. You can flame me for this, but it generally comes down to the old "individualist" vs. "collectivist" mentality in various cultures/countries. I get to see first hand about some of this, as my DH is a director in a US based, but multi-national company. He deals with employee situations all over the world, and believe me, it seems a lot more civilized in other places. Now, I have nothing to complain about, but as LPH says, the right to good health care should be a given.
OK, I said my piece, you can go back to your regularly scheduled conversation.

[shootingstar]

One thing for certain, when finding a family doctor, as a patient I focus on:

*convenient/accessible location
*covenient hrs.
*good rapport with the doctor: aka someone I can ask all sorts of questions and not get brushed off. And from doctor, who conveys current info.
*choice of another doctor in urgent situation, if my doctor is not immediately available

I have never spent any time or need to, figure out what sort of arrangement there is between doctor and some other party on insurance since I haven't had catastrophic/major illnesses, surgeries yet. But even if I did, it's not going to change for whatever extra out of pocket costs there will be, no matter which doctor I choose on my own in any city in any province. It will always be what the province has set for special drugs by legislation and what additional costs patient will have to pay.

Depending on the income (lower income), disability (if any) and age (ie. seniors), there may be some discounting.


Yes true, regular medical lab tests, pap test, breast cancer screening.. are not out of pocket billed. In fact, the provincial health authorities send notices to all women as a reminder. I know I've lived in Ontario, B.C. and Albera.

Depending on the province, there are some differences for certain services that a resident will have to pay if not covered by an extended employer paid health care benefit..ie ambulance services, certain drugs.

to answer :

Where does the line get drawn at the role of government in protecting individuals from themselves? How much power do you want to give your government over you?

I would want govn't to control over ...alot in the areas of health care and public safety. Example: Alberta dentists don't have a much of a fee cap on their services. It's pretty shocking to pay hundreds of dollars just for teeth cleaning and check-up. B.C. and Ontario have stronger controls on capping fees for dentists. Very different.

After working for a provincial regulatory agency on fire safety and haz mat clean-up, then at a major construction engineering project, you really do want govn't regulatory control plus follow-up inspection and fines....to protect people. The private sector will cut corners and it's pretty shocking what can happen quickly... I've seen it.


I expect our Canadian income tax rate might be different (meaning a bit higher) than some of the state income tax state rates which might account again, for some people very resistant to perceived govn't control which they tend to equate to govn't costs.

[Veronica]

Not all of our elected officials are all that bright. There's the "Legitimate rape," guy who thinks, "women can shut that whole thing down." Or the guy who thinks if we send too many troops to Guam the island will tip over. I don't want either of those guys deciding what I can and can't do.

Veronica

[Irulan]

Or the guy who thinks if we send too many troops to Guam the island will tip over.

Veronica

whoa, missed that one!

[Trek420]

Or the guy who thinks if we send too many troops to Guam the island will tip over.

Veronica

I missed that one too! Is he on the science committee? You know the group: when the NASA scientists who built and launched the Curiosity rover testified before the science committee one of our esteemed, wise, learned representatives asked them if they saw Armstrong's footprints where they landed.

[goldfinch]

Not all of our elected officials are all that bright. There's the "Legitimate rape," guy who thinks, "women can shut that whole thing down." Or the guy who thinks if we send too many troops to Guam the island will tip over. I don't want either of those guys deciding what I can and can't do.

Veronica

We always have someone telling us what we can and cannot do. Right now it is primarily insurance companies. Unless government tells them otherwise, they decide who gets insured. They decide the cost. They decide what medical procedures will be covered. They decide what doctors you can see. And because costs are so high, and inflated to give artificial discounts to insurers, you pretty much have to be insured.

[Artista]

We always have someone telling us what we can and cannot do. Right now it is primarily insurance companies. Unless government tells them otherwise, they decide who gets insured. They decide the cost. They decide what medical procedures will be covered. They decide what doctors you can see. And because costs are so high, and inflated to give artificial discounts to insurers, you pretty much have to be insured.

+1 Who's to say that all of the insurance company directors are smarter than the "legitimate rape" and "island tipping" guys.