HEALTH CARE - User fees

[Francis2004]

You mean like dentists and eye doctors do? Yeah, MDs would definitely have it so tough.

Dentists have never been covered in BC.. Have you been by an Eye doctor's office lately.. Most of the ones I walk by lately offer discounts and are ghost towns with immediate service from the lack of patients. Seniors and Kids still get covered and are the only exception here.. Eventually in BC we will see a lack of them as they all leave for greener pastures..

 

[Francis2004]

With our healthcare system being in a bad state of disarray to the point where people are waiting months for certain procedures and people in some areas are even finding it next to impossible to have their own family doctor, I think something fairly unorhtodox has to be done. I suggest that for each initial visit for an illness (people on social assistance being exempt) that the patient pays a $20 fee up front. What this might do is discourage people with trivial complaints like runny noses and hangnails from running to the doctor and running up costs the rest of us can't afford and adding to line ups in the system delaying sick people getting treatment. It might also stimulate some people to get off their rear end and take care of their own health, like maybe getting a little exercise. What do you think?

I think a much better approach would be to charge those who go see doctors for stupid reasons. In the last month I have had ( medically required ) to see the doctor 8 times and it certainly was not of my choice..

Senior as AnnaG pointed out can ill afford to spend $20.00 of food money and be much more sick when in BC many already must dish out extra cash for medication that is now no longer covered by pharmacare.. Add to that that many doctors do not give prescriptions for more then 30 days and require a visit for every refill.. Sometimes I really think Doctors are PART of the problem when they fight the system to ensure Pharmacists cannot hand out long term medication over a years time without a doctors visit.. 8O

 

[AnnaG]

Dentists have never been covered in BC..

They are covered by some employers and insurance companies. We didn't pay for the bulk of our dental while hubby was firefighting.

Have you been by an Eye doctor's office lately..

Yup.

Most of the ones I walk by lately offer discounts and are ghost towns with immediate service from the lack of patients.

The one I get my eyes checked at always seems to have a customer of two in it. Admittedly the franchised one at the mall in the same town is empty a lot, though.

Seniors and Kids still get covered and are the only exception here.. Eventually in BC we will see a lack of them as they all leave for greener pastures..

Perhaps.
Are you suggesting that if MDs start charging user fees, their business will disappear and they'll have to move to greener pastures?

 

[Francis2004]

I think that's why he put the word "free" in quote marks. lol

Perhaps, but the day anything is "FREE" in this world I want a piece of it.. Even the smiles at McDonalds costs now.. :lol::lol:

 

[AnnaG]

I think a much better approach would be to charge those who go see doctors for stupid reasons. In the last month I have had ( medically required ) to see the doctor 8 times and it certainly was not of my choice..

Senior as AnnaG pointed out can ill afford to spend $20.00 of food money and be much more sick when in BC many already must dish out extra cash for medication that is now no longer covered by pharmacare.. Add to that that many doctors do not give prescriptions for more then 30 days and require a visit for every refill.. Sometimes I really think Doctors are PART of the problem when they fight the system to ensure Pharmacists cannot hand out long term medication over a years time without a doctors visit.. 8O

Um, good point but I think MDs do hand out long term prescriptions. MIL gets 3 month's worth of her meds, 4 times a year before she needs a prescription renewed.

 

[AnnaG]

Perhaps, but the day anything is "FREE" in this world I want a piece of it.. Even the smiles at McDonalds costs now.. :lol::lol:

lol As soon as you step through the doorway at one of those chokenpukes, you start paying in one way or another.

 

[YukonJack]

"Um, good point but I think MDs do hand out long term prescriptions. MIL gets 3 month's worth of her meds, 4 times a year before she needs a prescription renewed."

You are lucky. My family doctor never prescribes more than a month's supply, and never, never a refill without a visit to his office.

That is no less despicable than frivolous and unnecessary visits to a doctor's office.

Because IT IS.

 

[AnnaG]

"Um, good point but I think MDs do hand out long term prescriptions. MIL gets 3 month's worth of her meds, 4 times a year before she needs a prescription renewed."

You are lucky. My family doctor never prescribes more than a month's supply, and never, never a refill without a visit to his office.

That is no less despicable than frivolous and unnecessary visits to a doctor's office.

Because IT IS.

Weird. I would think if you have a condition that's chronic, it'd make sense to prescribe long term. Unless the patient was coming in to see the doc relatively frequently anyway, as in the case of my MIL.

 

[YukonJack]

"Weird. I would think if you have a condition that's chronic, it'd make sense to prescribe long term. Unless the patient was coming in to see the doc relatively frequently anyway, as in the case of my MIL."

Weird, indeed. When I lived in Ontario (till 2007), having the same chronic conditions, all I had to do was going to the drug store and have the pharmacist to fax my request to the doctor's office.

Not in Manitoba, though. At least not my family doctor.

 

[Francis2004]

AnnaG

They are covered by some employers and insurance companies.

Duhhhhh, Obviously.. ( sorry I couldn't resist. being sarcastic :lol:. ) But no MSP plan has ever covered it and probably never will..

Yup. The one I get my eyes checked at always seems to have a customer of two in it.
Admittedly the franchised one at the mall in the same town is empty a lot, though. Perhaps.

And that's what I was talking about.. Most of those Clinics are Ghost towns..

Are you suggesting that if MDs start charging user fees, their business will disappear and they'll have to move to greener pastures?

Actually the point I was making was more along the lines that the Optometrists will move to places where they can make a better living..

But to the point JLM is making, it would certainly empty out regular MDs office if you start to charge a user fees.. That is the point.. Also do you expect the Government to let them keep that $20.00 user fee as extra income or deduct it from their total fee like they usually do anyway.. Come on this is Canada.. :lol:

 

[Francis2004]

Um, good point but I think MDs do hand out long term prescriptions. MIL gets 3 month's worth of her meds, 4 times a year before she needs a prescription renewed.

I'm lucky in my present MD gives me a years worth but my last one used to give me 1 month max.. That's why I changed..

My elderly Dad had the same issue and just recently switched..

It took him over a year to find a new MD. Not because none where available but because of his age and condition..

 

[AnnaG]

AnnaG

They are covered by some employers and insurance companies.

Duhhhhh, Obviously.. ( sorry I couldn't not resist. being sarcastic :lol:. ) But no MSP plan has ever covered it and probably never will..

Oh, I agree. Actually I find that the gov't insurance is pretty much the same as any other insurance, as time goes by they cover less and less and charge more and more premiums.

Yup. The one I get my eyes checked at always seems to have a customer of two in it.
Admittedly the franchised one at the mall in the same town is empty a lot, though. Perhaps.

And that's what I was talking about.. Most of those Clinics are Ghost towns..

As it should be. I mean people don't need eyecare as often as they need milk, eggs, etc. lol On the other hand, the local ophthalmologist doesn't have a spare minute in his workday because he's so busy. So it's just the retail end of the eyecare biz that is not busy enough (probably due to too many outlets.

Are you suggesting that if MDs start charging user fees, their business will disappear and they'll have to move to greener pastures?

Actually the point I was making was more along the lines that the Optometrists will move to places where they can make a better living..

Like anyone else. lol

But to the point JLM is making, it would certainly empty out regular MDs office if you start to charge a user fees.. That is the point..

I don't think so. I think it'd just alleviate the problem somewhat. Around here, there aren't enough docs for the patients, so we have walkin clinics. If there were fewer patients, the docs would still be busy.

Also do you expect the Government to let them keep that $20.00 user fee as extra income or deduct it from their total fee like they usually do anyway.. Come on this is Canada.. :lol:

Yeah, dysfunctional. lol

 

[Francis2004]

"Weird. I would think if you have a condition that's chronic, it'd make sense to prescribe long term. Unless the patient was coming in to see the doc relatively frequently anyway, as in the case of my MIL."

Weird, indeed. When I lived in Ontario (till 2007), having the same chronic conditions, all I had to do was going to the drug store and have the pharmacist to fax my request to the doctor's office.

Not in Manitoba, though. At least not my family doctor.

That used to be the case in BC as well. You could walk into any Pharmacy years ago and request a refill, which would be phoned into your doctor's office, and a fax copy would be sent to them oking the refill.

Then about 5 years ago the BC College of Physicians ( I believe ) asked MDs to stop the practice and request all patients to make a regular visit to see them so they can be properly checked to ensure they still required the medication even if it was for chronic and long term conditions.. :roll:

 

[AnnaG]

Yup. A lot of the troubles with healthcare are simply due to bureaucracy.

 

[JLM]

You mean like dentists and eye doctors do? Yeah, MDs would definitely have it so tough.

I doubt if $20 would generate any money for the system, might pay the cost of one extra person to handle the bookkeeping, but the intent would not be a cash cow but to shorten line ups and waiting times, so doctors wouldn't be wasting valuable time trimming hang nails. The $20 would only be for the initial visit for a bonafide illness. I can see a can of worms opening but that would another discussion.

 

[JLM]

"Um, good point but I think MDs do hand out long term prescriptions. MIL gets 3 month's worth of her meds, 4 times a year before she needs a prescription renewed."

You are lucky. My family doctor never prescribes more than a month's supply, and never, never a refill without a visit to his office.

That is no less despicable than frivolous and unnecessary visits to a doctor's office.

Because IT IS.

My personal experience has been to get one prescription for 3 months and one refill, so obviously under the law you are not required to see the doc more often than once every 6 months. But that can backfire too if the prescriptioin isn't quite right and you have to go back and hence throw the orig. prescription in the toilet.

 

[eh1eh]

"Yankee Go Home!"

I am sure Danny Williams is grateful that Americans did NOT take this despicable attitude about people from another country.

I have no qualms with people from wherever. Just don't tell me I have to start paying for health care that I have been taxed to the nuts to pay for so far. I would like to think my taxes over the last forty fu*king seven years will be of some benefit to me. If you don't like our socialist medicine then I respectfully request you find a country with a user pay system that suites your desires. Danny Wiliams paid for service. Nobody looks down on that you dumb troll.
Your routine is rather boring.

 

[JLM]

Yup. A lot of the troubles with healthcare are simply due to bureaucracy.

Yep, like about 99% and bureaucracy = Gov't.

 

[AnnaG]

I doubt if $20 would generate any money for the system, might pay the cost of one extra person to handle the bookkeeping, but the intent would not be a cash cow but to shorten line ups and waiting times, so doctors wouldn't be wasting valuable time trimming hang nails. The $20 would only be for the initial visit for a bonafide illness. I can see a can of worms opening but that would another discussion.

Why just $20 for a first visit?
Lemme see, my doc gets about 25 patients a day. $20 per person is $500. What bookkeeper gets $500 a day?

 

[JLM]

Why just $20 for a first visit?
Lemme see, my doc gets about 25 patients a day. $20 per person is $500. What bookkeeper gets $500 a day?

Are all 25 patients there on their initial visit? I was also including the price of the paper and the ink. :lol::lol::lol: