HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-04-04, Page 36Page lir--Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 11, 1979
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Why one doctor opted out of OHIP.....
• from page 6
is stripped of his identity and
function. All the shots will be
called from Toronto and the
most the' doctor can do is sit
beside the patient, waiting,
powerless, to do investiga-
tions and treat his patients.
Basically, 1 feel this way. I
. have gone to university for a
total of ten years to learn.
medicine and when some
politician, who may be a used
car dealer •or ansurance
salesman (as our recent
Ministers of Health have
been) starts telling me how I
should practise Medicine,
that is the day I would quit!
By "opting out", I am
standing up for my rights as
a professional person and,
hopefully, making it quite
clear that independence and
freedom from government
and other . interference is
essential for' me to , function
the way I was,• taught in
medical ,n„sohool;``' with the
patient's interest's coming
first and not4,� ome bureau-
crat's or polity ian's'•\
The seconds r-easoii why I
have"opted out" of SHIP is
financial. I respectt�myself
greatly as a doctor. '1 work
hard and long hours) i try to
do .the best job l can, even at
the sacrifice of'rhours from
my personal life and from my
family, which is very dear to
me.
I spent moneyon expen-
sive equipment for my office
because I thought it would
help me to do a good job. I
spent ten: years of my life other services are higher, but
studying at university sweat„ -'these usually take longer so
ing . at the . books for long ' that fewer .services can be
hours and at no or minimal
pay.
After having been in pract-
ice a number of years, I
returned to school for three
more years (at a great loss to
income) because I thought'
that - additional training
would make me a better
doctor. I respect my profes-
sion greatly and 1 consider
the present OHIP payment
for many services an insult!
Yes, I know income tax
statistics show that Medicine
is one of the highest paid
professions. The reason for
this is the consistent long,
long hours of work, I person-
ally work 70 to 80 hours per
week. Wouldn't you earn a
lot of money if you worked 70
to 80 hours per week; and,
which is more, almost every
week?
I wish to illustrate some
typical doctor's fees and you
tell me if they are too high.
Let us take the typical
office visit or what we call the
"minor assessment". The
OHIP benefit for this service
is $7.70. For most doctors the
cost: of overhead is 50 per
cent (mine is higher) so that
$3.85 is left.
Because of the long hours
of work and resulting income
level, 50 per cent of the $3.85
goes to income tax, leaving
$•1.93. Usually a. doctor can
perform five such visits per
hour, producing a pay rate of
$9.65 • per hour.' . Garages
charge more!
It is true that fees for many
performed per hour and the
hourly rate usually remains
the same.
• Another example is the
hospital. visit. OHIP pays
$5.50 less 50 per cent for
overhead, leaving ,$2.75 less
50 per cent for income tax,
, leaving $1.38 for„ the doctor.
At five patients per hour, the
resulting pay rate is $6.90
per hour.
Do you believe it - and I am
responsible for these pati-
ents' lives! Do you see why I
feel insulted by OHIP rates?
Furthermore, I have irreg-
ular hours and get no over-
time pay. I get no coffee
breaks and no lunch hours. 1
have no benefits. 1 pay my
own hospitalization. I have
no drug or dental plans. I
generate my own pension
funds. I lose income for
holidays and through sick-
ness. 1 am not provided with
a disability plan and I am not
eligible for unemployment
insurance.
I pay high income tax.. I
have a high overhead and 1
must pay all of this before 1
get a penny. I provide
employment and yet I am
discriminated against in„the`":rr
new small business taxlaws.
I am continually `'bein leId_-
about and disgraced oY'.
and in newspapers. Inll tel=;} S
you at the end of.a to g hard
day this is hard to'takke:"How...
much more. cap I put upwith
before . string ' to the =States?
How much more •cavi' other
doctors endure?
My . solution to the two
problems of professional in-
dependence and inadquate
Uproots tree
This tree on the grounds of Lucknow Central Public
School was uprooted during • the worst winter storm of
the season which •struck the area' on April 6. Trees were
torn out by the roots, whidows were blown'. out and roofs
were raised during the storm.
OHIP fees has been to "Opt
out" of OHIP.
I charge according to the
Ontario Medical Association
Schedule of fees; Before,
OHIP used to cover 90 per
cent of these fees; but now
they only cover 70 per cent of
these fees.
1 wonder what the U.A.W.
would say if the government
only allowed their workers 7Q
per cent of their pay? At any
rate, I don't charge anyone
over 65 years, any needy
person, anyone on Welfare,
anyone on a Disability Pen-
sion or anyone who is unem-
ployed, a penny extra over
the OHIP benefit, which is 70
per cent.
And why - because I'm
trying to rip off the public as
politicians suggest? You
know the real problem.is that
OHIP only covers 70 per cent
of the O.M.A. fee.
I mean, if OHIP covered
100 per cent of the O.M.A.
fee, what would it matter to
the patient if a doctor were
"opted in" or "out"? What
happens to your high prem-
iums if OHIP offers such
poor insurance coverage?
Too much goes to adminis-
trative costs. Mastercharge
and Chargex can still make a
profit charging three to five
per cent for administrative
costs intead of the 30 per
cent charged by OHIP.
I agree that the people of
Ontario are getting poor
insurance coverage for the
high premiums .they pay:
However, your doctor has no
say in this. The amount, of
coverage is OHIP's decision.
1 hope that the above has
clarified the' reasons why
myself and many other doct-
ors are "opting out" of
O1HP.
Mario M. Cauchi, M.D.
County council
trims its ranks
BY JEFF SEDDON
Huron county council
trimmed its ranks
March 31 when it
changed . requirements
for municipalities;t,o send
deputy -reeves :-,to t r
>cdunty council chambers:`
...zBy a 36 to 16 , Vote
'Council reduced its siz
from 45 members to 29
beginning with the 1981
"term, The restructuring
means that only
municipalities with 2,500
or More voters will send
both a reeve and deputy -
reeve to county council.
At present municipalities
with 1 000 or more voters
send two representatives
to the county level.
Under the new system
only Goderich, Exeter
and the township of
Stephen will send two
representatives to county
council.
The restructuringwas
done to attempt to
streamline council.
.Hnde`r the old system the
�A5me'"rnber.; ,e'ouncil,
considered bye; sone to
already be too large - i0:156.
be
practical, was about "to
become larger. West
Wawanosh township is
eligible for a deputy-
,reeve in. the 1981 election
under the old system and
Bayfield is also very
close to deputy -reeve
status.
Under the new system
several townships and
two towns are very close
to the 2,500electors
needed for a deputy-
reeve. The townships of
'Tuckersmith, Goderich,
Howick and Hay will
probably be electing
deputy -reeves in 1981 as
well as the town of
Clinton,
Some members of
counpil balked at the ia'dp'a
of trimming deputy
reeves. Wingham deputy'
reeve Harold Wild felt
that the councillors
shouldtake the matter
back to • their respective:
councils `fors ^ discuss'ion
and direction. Wild said
he felt he cotildn'tmake a
decision adding that he
would like to "talk about
it at home".
Turnberry deputy-
reeve Harold Elliott said
he felt the position of
deputy -reeve was "a
good opportunity for
younger people to get into
this (county council
business) for the time
they step. up to reeve",
Turn to page 9 •
The Message of
Easter is
A Message
of Hope
For To -day
and Always
John W.
Henderson
Lumber ltd.
Lucknow, Ontario