WHEREAS in 2007 Canada spent in excess of $160 billion on the provision of healthcare services, and
WHEREAS it is estimated that between 60 to 80 cents of every healthcare dollar is spent on human resources, and
WHEREAS the needs for human resources in the healthcare system must be carefully studied and understood in order to permit well informed planning, and
WHEREAS the needs of the Canadian healthcare system are expected to increase as the population ages.
BE IT RESOLVED that a Liberal Government in negotiating the 2014 Federal Provincial Territorial Agreement on Health care include a needs based model for assessing both the future needs of an aging population and the human resource needs of the healthcare workforce.
Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island
I pay $1400 a years for drug coverage, for my wife and myself (we are also pretty healthy). I would willingly pay this amount and more into a government sponsored program that covered all our medical needs. I feel everyone should pay into a government health care plan, based on their income. I don’t feel however that the government should run the program, but setting the guide lines. Then the medical care insurance companies should bid on the right to administer blocks of the program, they will do it more efficientlty than the government.
Health care is much broader than being able to see a Doctor or get treatment in the Hospital, it is about keeping people healthy and active. In order to do the full job it may, in meny instances be more efficient to have and element of private healthcare involved. It is who pays and how it is paid that is the key element here. I don’t think it is desirable to have people needing treatment and in a private clinic and it costing thousands of dollars. I feel people have a responsibility to themselves and to society to share the cost of keeping themselves healthy, just as I feel it is societies responsibility to keep its members healthy.
So who pays? I think people should pay into a government directed health care plan rather than buying suplemental health care for drug, glasses, dental, travel etc.
It is noted in the preamble to the resolution that 60 to 80 cent of every health care dollar is spent on human resources. It is important to ensure that the necessary human resources are maintained, and adequate for the future. I support this resolution.
Nevertheless, I would like to point out there are lengthy wait times for patients accessing health care technologies, both diagnostic and treatment equipment and facilities. Often, this is the bottleneck that slows the optimal delivery of health care. This too must be addressed.
It is very much a false economy to under invest in health care equipment. Investment in health care equipment provides economic growth. All of the firms in the supply chains for manufacture, supply and service of health care equipment are encouraged to invest and innovate by government procurement of these technologies. There is export market for these technologies, as well as domestic market. This investment provides permanent jobs and economic growth.
The Liberal Party has an ethical duty to support universal access to health care. Also, the Liberal Party should advocate economic growth through health care spending.
I believe we need to have a broader look at health care systems around the world that have better than average health care outcomes. the US, with it’s 17% of GDP and poor outcomes, is not theplace to look. One need only look at countries with very high health care outcomes (France, Germany, Sweden and Austria to name a few) and see what they are doing. These countries have a Medicare type system, but also have a parallel private pay system that it works in concert with.
There are only two countries that come to mind with Universal programs (ie our Medicare Program); Canada, and Cuba. Basically no other democratic country has copied our system. It’s time we pulled our heads out of the sand, and extricated ourselves emotionally from our Sacred Cow…looking at other ways to support deliver of health care is necessary. Canadians are living an average of 32 years longer now, than when Medicare was first crafted 50 years ago.
I believe a commission could look at health care delivery systems and find one which better meets the needs of Canadians THAT WOULD WORK ALONGSIDE OF OUR EXISTING MEDICARE SYSTEM.