Would you pay to see the Doctor quicker?

[Hurk]

Most of us wait a long time before seeing the Doctor, whether it's walkin or family. Would you pay to see them quicker? I would. I'd be willing to pay up to $20 to see them 0-10 minutes.

Anyone else? I feel my time is worth more.

[SergesPlace]

Most of us wait a long time before seeing the Doctor, whether it's walkin or family. Would you pay to see them quicker? I would. I'd be willing to pay up to $20 to see them 0-10 minutes.

Anyone else? I feel my time is worth more.

Absolutely!!!

[danfromwaterloo]

Is my time that important? No, not really .... if its a difference of 10 minutes or 30...nah, not really...but, when I'm really sick, I want to see a doctor NOW. Not 10 minutes from now, but NOW.

Here's the problem though: Doctors see patients using a tri-age system of importance, combined with a first-come-first-served system. So, if you pay $20 to skip the line, that means either someone who is more seriously injured than you, or someone who is equally sick, but unable or unwilling to pay, must wait LONGER now...

This being said, I think that pay-to-the-front system is wrong, and cannot be safely or ethically implemented. BUT I do believe that there should be clinics that operate solely above Health Canada...that is to say, if you want treatment here, you must pay. I know that might seem like splitting hairs, but somehow, that seems more justifiable.

[spidermoore]

I am not sure but I definately am in favour of a small user fee in place so that people stop going to the doctor over the most trivial of things, thus making me and everyone else wait longer.

[peoples_Flip]

Nah... I would not pay extra... besides I'd rather be in the doctor's office than at work.

[Hurk]

Nah... I would not pay extra... besides I'd rather be in the doctor's office than at work.

I'd rather be at home resting than in a Doctors office.

[NDman]

I'd pay to get to the ER doctors quicker if it comes down to that. Regular doctor's office? I can live with 30-45-minute wait

[Keelie]

when i make an appointment to see my doctor, i can get in the next day, if i'm really sick then they'll get me in that day. so i dont really see a need to pay to get in earlier.

besides, i'm already paying for the service of my doctor, enough is enough.

[rookie]

I would not pay a cent to see a doctor... any doctor.

[sk8]

I haven't had a serious problem yet (thankfully) to need a doctor. No i wont pay extra to get myself infront of the line. Is that why we pay taxes and other *****...?

[wanna_be]

besides, i'm already paying for the service of my doctor, enough is enough.

Yes in fact you are paying twice in Ontario.

We had this discussion already a while ago, Old OHIP premium used to be paid by employee and employer, government changed it years ago to be paid by the company.

Yes it is paid by the company but it is still part of your overall compensation package.

Don't forget that the Provincial liberals put a new Health premium tax into place last year.



So if we are gonna go this way does that mean that the corporate executive with White Collar symdrome gets treated before the kid with the broken bone whose parents make below the poverty line income even though they both work? and both are paying the new health premium?

Take a good long hard thought on this one

[danfromwaterloo]

I think people should have yearly allowances for medical treatment, to prevent against abuse of the system. My grandmother goes to the doctor at least 3 times a week, to get every little pain checked out. I'm sure she's not the only one who does that. Should old people get to go to the doctor whenever they want? Of course. But there has to be some measure put in place to prevent against abuses of the system, so that one person isn't sucking all the money out of the healthcare system.

So, you're allowed to go to the doctor once a week, unless specifically referred by a doctor. Once a week is plenty, but it would prevent excess abuse.

[doc_ock]

So if we are gonna go this way does that mean that the corporate executive with White Collar symdrome gets treated before the kid with the broken bone whose parents make below the poverty line income even though they both work? and both are paying the new health premium?

Nope. The big bad corporate execs can go to Quebec to pay for their health care.

Quebec has private clinics offering a variety of surgical and medical services and some doctors offer family practices that are outside medicare.

Here's the link.

[SergesPlace]

I think people should have yearly allowances for medical treatment, to prevent against abuse of the system. My grandmother goes to the doctor at least 3 times a week, to get every little pain checked out. I'm sure she's not the only one who does that. Should old people get to go to the doctor whenever they want? Of course. But there has to be some measure put in place to prevent against abuses of the system, so that one person isn't sucking all the money out of the healthcare system.

So, you're allowed to go to the doctor once a week, unless specifically referred by a doctor. Once a week is plenty, but it would prevent excess abuse.

that's why i think a user fee should be in place. Say 10.00 a visit just might deter people from going to see the Doctor for every little thing.

[devious9191]

Yes in fact you are paying twice in Ontario.

We had this discussion already a while ago, Old OHIP premium used to be paid by employee and employer, government changed it years ago to be paid by the company.

Yes it is paid by the company but it is still part of your overall compensation package.

Don't forget that the Provincial liberals put a new Health premium tax into place last year.



So if we are gonna go this way does that mean that the corporate executive with White Collar symdrome gets treated before the kid with the broken bone whose parents make below the poverty line income even though they both work? and both are paying the new health premium?

Take a good long hard thought on this one

The way that it works, is that it encourages Canadian physicians to stay in Canada. It's not about closing the public clinics, it's about providing private alternatives as well. Providing private clinics gives a lot of our doctors more of an incentive to remain and work in Canada rather than going across the border for more money. It also alleviates some of the stress at the public clinics by some of their traffic going to private clinics. They already have private clinics in both Quebec and Alberta, so I don't see what the issue is..