There is absolutely nothing wrong with a multi tiered health care system. Britain, France and most of Scandinavia have had them for years which function very well thank you very much.
In those countries, everyone gets their "National Health (Uk)" and then they have the option of paying for more services like we do with Bluecross and other insurance companies. I have a friend from the UK who came through town last year and he reckoned they had at least FIVE tiers of health care. Nobody complains about it because everyone is covered. Now, if you want a private room after surgery you will need a certain tier or you will be in a general ward with five other people. etc etc.
This stuff about the Liberals did this or the NDP did that is all white noise. Our system has been broken for decades and our tax burden towards health care is approaching 50% of our tax revenues. In the Clark era they threw a bunch of highly educated suits at the problem and paid them royally. Did they fix it, NO. Instead of investing in more Dr's and RN's or more up to date equipment; they built lavish offices within the hospitals. Take a tour of LGH or VGH offices and you would think you were visiting the most successful company in BC. Net result, they hired more admin staff to oversee the existing problem.
Then the Liberals got back in and what did they do? Regionalize the system. Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Island and Gulf Island plus whatever they call it in the Interior/North/ etc etc. Guess what, more suits got hired to manage a larger geographic area. Again missing the whole problem of not enough Dr's, RN's, BioMed Techs etc.
Meanwhile, the province's population is growing, hospitals are ALL needing upgrading, Dr's and RN's are leaving because they are over worked and not paid enough to keep them. They have their holidays cancelled because they are short staffed because there is no backup when they go on holidays.
Then you have the elderly who do not have proper care facilities because funding was removed by BOTH governments which put it on course for "privatization". Privatization moved in and in some cases charge the family up to $10K per month. (Don't believe me? There is a new multi storied private assisted living facility that opened last summer. It is less than half full because they charge $10K per month. Nobody wants it and it sits there half empty rather than reduce their prices) Not many families can afford that so they bleed the system by dropping grandma or grand dad off at the Emergency Room and say they are too much to handle and now you have a Bed Blocker residing in an acute bed because there is no where else to send them. Worst is some of these people are so severely demented that their quality of life is disgusting to the families and never get a visit from a family member.
So here is what you do. Make friends with a few couples who are either RN's or Dr's and live close to them so you can call upon them if you have poor health. Or buy a Duplex near a hospital and rent out half of it to a RN or a Dr. If in a pinch, ask them for help. Pray you don't get Alzheimer's, Parkinsons or Dementia. Keep your minds active people
Reason: There will be NO place to house you or your SO at a reasonable price anywhere in BC when you really need it within the next 20 years.
