Posted on 02/16/2012 4:50:53 AM PST by Steven Tyler
A Commission has recommended many fixes. Here is an excerpt dealing with Healthcare. Note "End of life discussions for middle age folks".
TORONTO - Ontario’s public health care system — the single largest expense in the government’s budget — needs major surgery.
“Canada has one of the costliest health care systems in the world which may surprise people who are too accustomed to comparing our record only to that of the United States... . “Despite its high cost, our system does not produce superior results on a value-for-money basis relative to other countries.”
Drummond is recommending significant changes — increased private sector delivery of health care services and the movement of many services out of hospitals.
One bombshell in the report was the commission’s recommendation that the province consider ending automatic full prescription drug coverage for seniors, aiming it at low income earners rather than basing it on age.
“This option would greatly strengthen the equity of the program .... changed its age-dependent program into one that links solely to income,” the report says.
Doctors should also be entering into end-of-life conversations with patients when they hit middle age, the report says, since most health care spending is at the tail end of life.
The majority of doctor compensation should be based on salary rather than fee-for-service, and the overall physician pay budget should be capped, the report says.
Overall, the health care budget should grow at no more than 2.5% a year, well below traditional inflation.
But Ontario should think hard about building more long-term care facilities, though, and try to keep seniors in their own home, and definitely out of hospital if possible, the report says.
LHINs, the regional planning authorities, should take on a much bigger role co-ordinating health care, the report says.
(Excerpt) Read more at torontosun.com ...
“Frank, look — you’re 50 now. That’s pretty old, you know. And you’re a good 20 pounds overweight. Have you thought about offing yourself? Your medical costs are just going to skyrocket and as your doctor I have to encourage you to think of the greater good. It will just be like going to sleep. Think about it.”
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