New federal money needed but must buy better system--Kirby report.OTTAWA -- New federal money for health care must be earmarked and "be spent on health of Canadians and health care only," stresses the so-called Kirby report on health care in Canada Canada's health care system is a publicly funded health care system, with most services provided by private entities. While the Canadian government calls it a "public system,[1][2], it is not "socialized medicine". , delivered a month before the scheduled presentation of the report of the Commission on Health Care headed by Roy Romanow Roy John Romanow, PC, OC, SOM, QC, LL.B, DU, (born August 12, 1939 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian politician and former Premier of Saskatchewan (1991–2001). He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 1967 provincial election. . The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, in its recently released final report, The Health of Canadians-The Federal Role: Recommendations for Reform, warns that simply putting money into the existing health care system "will not make the system more efficient or more responsive to patients." As well, Senator Michael Kirby Michael Kirby refers to:
Funds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements. Notes: These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve must buy change or reform. Noting that an additional $5 billion per year for health care is not only required to make the publicly funded system financially sustainable, but is needed to "avert the emergence of a parallel private health care system", The Committee recommended raising these additional funds through a National Health Care Insurance Premium. This premium would vary according to individual taxable income Under the federal tax law, gross income reduced by adjustments and allowable deductions. It is the income against which tax rates are applied to compute an individual or entity's tax liability. The essence of taxable income is the accrual of some gain, profit, or benefit to a taxpayer. , and would range from 50 cents per day at the low end to $4 per day for people whose yearly taxable income exceeds $103,000. Of the funds raised, more than 25 percent of this new funding should be used to help close gaps in health care provided to Canadians by expanding the current coverage. This would include catastrophic prescription drug prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, expenses, post-acute home care and palliative care palliative care (paˑ·lē·ā·tiv kerˑ), n an approach to health care that is concerned primarily with attending to physical and emotional comfort rather in the home. The report also recommends the federal government introduce a Health Care Guarantee which would set maximum allowable waiting times for all major medical procedures. Once the waiting time is exhausted, a patient would be guaranteed immediate medical treatment in another province or in the United States paid for by medicare. Other recommendations included the appointment of a Health Care Commissioner to monitor the progress of health care reform, creating incentives for everyone working in and using health care to operate the system more efficiently and effectively and federal funding to the country's 16 medical schools for capital expenditures. |
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