[inthebox]

Get off your soapbox. I have paid for my healthcare, by employee deductions since I was l8 years old (I am now 67 and on my way to a healthy 70 because of my healthcare system). Everyone paid that way...do you get it.....we paid for the healthcare. Now individuals dont pay, but the employer pays for them. It WAS NOT EVER FREE

an irritated tick

Link me an employer that pays 100% of employees healthcare: no co-pays, no premiums deducted?

Yes you paid and I am paying taxes to pay for healthcare of others. That is the ponzi scheme that Medicare Medicaid and social security are. I suspect that the big government koolaid that you have been drinking is irritating you. And it irritates those of us opposed to further government intervention In healthcare that is a public option.


G&P

[tickle]

Did you miss my avy where it says I am Canadian, inthebox. How could I possbly link you to an employer and access their records to prove to you how OHIP is paid. I told you how OHIP was paid, I paid it by employee deductions for years, saying it was never free for us.

And it irritates you, sorry about that. Read on:

The Ontario Health Premium—who pays?

BY MICHAEL G. SHERRARD

(DCN SPECIAL)

One of the most hotly contested issues of the day is whether the employer is required to pay the new Ontario Health Premium (OHP) on behalf of its bargaining unit employees.

To date, there are arbitral decisions coming down on both sides of this issue.
History

In 1969, the Health Services Insurance Act, 1968- 1969 (Ont.) came into effect. This act established the Ontario Health Services Insurance Plan which later became known as the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Under the OHIP employees were liable for the payment of health premiums, and large employers were required to make payroll deductions from employees' salaries.

Effective January 1990, the Employer Health Tax (EHT) came into force, which provides generally for the payment of a health tax by an employer based upon its payroll costs. Accordingly, since January 1990 employees have not been personally liable to pay premiums for health care.

Michael G. Sherrard

The OHP was introduced as part of the 2004 Ontario Budget as a means to supplement funding of health care in Ontario. It is a personal levy placed on individuals based upon their total taxable income. It has not replaced, but is in addition to, the EHT.

Despite the abolition of the OHIP premiums and their replacement with the EHT, many collective agreements continue to contain language that requires the employer to pay all, or part, of the “OHIP premiums.”

ms tickle

[450donn]

It really is amazing how many NON Americans have chimed into this debate trying to convince us (the USA) that their system is the best and that we are fools for not falling in lock step for it. Why is that?

[tickle]

It really is amazing how many NON Americans have chimed into this debate trying to convince us (the USA) that their system is the best and that we are fools for not falling in lock step for it. Why is that?

I couldn't give a rats behind what happens to your non existent healthcare system, 450donn. I think most Canadians here get really upset when we keep telling you we are happy with our healthcare system, and you say we aren't. Now why is that ?

ms. tickle

[galveston]

The whole legislation needs to be scrapped and start over.

We probably do need govt guidelines, but NOT govt control.

We need national tort reform.

We need cooperatives that are NOT govt run.

We need health savings programs.

We need to let the doctors come up with innovative plans without being stifled by some bureaurocracy.

Just a few things.

[tomder55]

Indeed ms tickle my response was intelligent mature and to the point. If I'm entitled or have a "right" to free health care then certainly by extension my food and shelter are of equal importance to the quality of my life .Aren't they ?

[tomder55]

I for one will not be waiting in line for a flu shot for this virus, niether will thousands of Canadians; we will be receiving it already paid for. I don't what you will be doing when you find out you have to pay out of pocket for the shot that will deter HINI virus to protect you.

You guys have been rehashing this issue for months now and not coming up with any pertinent information, just dragging up old stories.

I guess this is another oldie but goodie .
Thousands of surgeries may be cut in Metro Vancouver, leaked paper reveals

[tickle]

I don't believe those cuts happened, tomder, at least nothing reached the eastern papers regarding this so called 'leak' and gee, as you know I am in healthcare, don't you think I would know of this too >>??

Try again, you are amusing

Ms tickle

[speechlesstx]

Hello again, Steve:

How about this?? Don't you want to see American jobs return home? Don't you want to see a resurgence of the American car?? I do.

It ain't going to happen as long as GM spends more per car on HEALTH CARE, than it does on steel... THAT'S what they're doing.. Nope, it AIN'T going to happen.

They've also been paying people $25 an hour to do nothing but wait for a chance to work again. What stupid, moronic imbecile signed off on all this nonsense? Could it have anything to do with the unions?? Yeah, they're great for the worker but they don't do a lot to make the company competitive again. As long as Toyota, Honda and others crank out better cars cheaper, GM is screwed.

You, the apparent supporter of small business, want to strap them with costs their competitors don't have... Why would you do that?

Is it their competitor's fault that GM is strapped with all those costs? Is it their competitor's fault they haven't produced a better product?

[tomder55]

I don't believe those cuts happened, tomder, at least nothing reached the eastern papers regarding this so called 'leak' and gee, as you know I am in healthcare, don't you think I would know of this too >>??

Maybe you just don't read the Canadian press. I can link to at least 35 other sources like Globe and Mail and the Canadian Press if you like. I have no doubt that you are part of the unionized health care workforce that has a vested interest in the status quo there .

I read up on this Adrian Dix fellow . It appears that every time he warns of the system the Liberals there call him a fear-monger . I guess that is universal liberal-speak. He said the cuts were delivered as a fact sheet presented at the health authority's board meeting Thursday . Is he lying and fear-mongering ? When he previously warned about this he was told that what he was citing was only a "planning document" . A couple weeks later these documents were presented as fact sheets .

The fact sheet calls for operating room capacity for elective surgeries to be reduced 10 to 15 per cent for the rest of the fiscal year, in addition to slowdowns and during the Winter Olympics in February and March.

Dix's big charge is that this information about deep cuts and budget shortfalls was withheld from the public before last May's provincial election .

[450donn]

I couldnt give a rats behind what happens to your non existent healthcare system, 450donn. I think most Canadians here get really upset when we keep telling you we are happy with our healthcare system, and you say we arent. Now why is that ?

ms. tickle

And I can site you relatives living in Ontario that hate to even attempt to make an appointment. When right across the border, not 15 minutes away other relatives can get medical appointments when needed.
Like someone else mentioned, you have a vested interest in status quo because of your union? If our system is so "non existent" then why is it that your fellow countrymen are streaming across the border to get surgeries and pay for it out of their own pockets that are not available to them for one reason or another on your side of the border.
No one will convince you that a government mandated system is doom to failure sooner or later. Because it is obvious that you are like an ostrich. So there is no point debating it with you any longer.

[tickle]

450donn, no hard feelings, but you have to realize I have lived for 67 years, for most of them knowing I can go to the doctor and have my aches and pains treated and just present my health card. When my mom became ill at 85, it was the same for her, her treatment was exceptional by her doctor and the hospital. This was only l0 years ago. My son had exemplary treatment and a defibrillator installed at Toronto General Hospital... presented health card. He has to have a check up every six months to make sure the defib is operating correctly, without it, his heart would stop.

I am not even semi retired yet and still working at 67, diabetic, high blood pressure, etc. and my prescriptions, for any one of them are $6.00 each. I never have a problem getting to see my doctor, yet only a check up every 6 months.

So you see where I am coming from. It will go on like this hopefully until I don't need services any longer and I only hope till after my son doesn't need them anymore.

I wish you guys all the best with your endeavour to get your healthcare settled away

I had no idea I was debating.

Kindest regards,

Tick