Posted on 09/01/2009 9:22:23 PM PDT by Libloather
Alberta picks panel to fix health rules; critics say more privatization on way
Tue Sep 1, 4:33 PM
By Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
EDMONTON - Alberta is taking the first step to overhaul its health laws - including redefining public care - but Health Minister Ron Liepert stresses the move is not a stalking horse to introduce more privatization.
"Some of our provincial legislation that guides our health-care system is around 100 years old, much of it designed around the system and not the patient," Liepert said Tuesday.
"We need a system in place that moves the patient from the bottom of an organizational chart to the top."
**SNIP**
He said he'll make the findings public when he receives them in November.
The committee is tasked with finding a new way to define publicly funded health services under the terms of the Canada Health Act. It must also look for ways to make public services more accountable.
Liepert said it's not intended as a back-door way to increase private delivery of services under a public health umbrella - long a hot-button issue in Alberta.
"This exercise is not about delisting services or privatizing our publicly funded health-care system," he said.
"We are guided by the Canada Health Act, (but) I wish the federal government would start to take a look at it and say, 'How relevant is it in its current form and does it need updating?"'
He said it is another attempt by the province to look at what public health services are available and whether improvements can be made.
The review comes as Alberta wriggles in the vise-grip of a growing population and a $7-billion budget deficit.
(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...
Ping
In a normal world, we should learn from each other’s mistakes. In this case, we’re going to go over the same ground already covered by other failed CommieCare systems.
Canadians are seeing the writing on the wall and a political sh*tstorm if the U.S. no longer offers an outlet.
Bummer is a doctrinaire, not a learner.
Albertans dont listen to Ottawa, so it doesn’t surprise me.
This article is impossible on so many levels.
First, there is nothing to “fix” in Canada, as we’ve been assured it is perfect and a model for 0bummerCare.
“The review comes as Alberta wriggles in the vise-grip of a growing population and a $7-billion budget deficit.”
thanks for screwing up ralph klein’s hard work.
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