Quebec recently announced a number of tax increases including one that will charge patients $25.00 for each visit to their Doctor.
Being the L'Enfant Terrible of Confederation, no other Province, other than Quebec, could get away with this - but in this instance Quebec is bang on.
Canadians are approaching the expenditure of 50% of all their government revenues (read taxes) on Health Care and the trend upward will only worsen as our aging population - ages further. As a per centage of our Budget, we are paying as much on our Health Care as the Americans pay for their military (i.e on a per capita basis) And the Americans want to emulate our Health Care System. Soon all the US will be able to afford are bullets and needles. But that is the stuff of a future editorial.
Now back to Quebec.
Quebec realizes, as does any thinking health care provider, that unfettered (read free) access to our Health Care system simply cannot be sustained. As it is, there are not enough Doctors for all of our citizens.
Those who pay no taxes, get their care free and those who pay taxes, pay for everyones' care. In both cases, there is no disincentive to use the system, regardless of how minor your health complaint. A runny nose, a sore throat, flu and the cold take time away from more serious conditions.
One of the best ways in which to discourage needless Doctor visits is to charge a fee for each visit. And then watch the numbers decline.
In this sense, Quebec is on the right track and because it is sacrosanct from federal censure, we, in the ROC will all ultimately benefit from its initiative. If Quebec can do it, then everyone can do it.
Where I differ slightly from Quebec's proposal is in regard to the amount of the proposed fee. Twenty-five Dollars ($25) per person, per visit seems a little on the steep side. This could really add up if you factored in a family of 4 struggling to to get by in today's high cost of living.
A $10.00 charge per visit would, I believe, be equally successful in significantly reducing demand.
In any event, the fee per visit is a welcome step given Health Care's out of control costs. It is though only a start. Many more tough decisions will need to be taken to tame the beast.
But in the levying of a visitation fee, Quebec has it right. Bravo.
As I see it...
