Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Ontario ASers

So, have ya'll heard about the new budget coming down from Greg Sorbara? Only a couple of years after Dalton McGuinty decried the same move from Mike Harris's Conservatives? They're going to impose a new, personal health care tax to cover OHIP costs. That, in itself, wouldn't be so bad, except that I hear that they are also going to be cutting chiropractic, physiotherapy, optometry and podiatry from the OHIP covered services list. So, we'll be paying more for less.

I have, today, emailed both Dalton McGuinty and Gerrard Kennedy, my local MPP in protest. What follows is the text of my letter. Make of it what you will, but we cannot allow this to happen unprotested. Too bad I didn't hear about it earlier. Regardless, if you feel you can do it, I ask that you, too, email your MPP and Mr. McGuinty using this letter or one of your own.

***

Dear Mr. Kennedy, I've been hearing some extremely disturbing things about Liberal plans for OHIP in the new budget. Not only are you going to impose an extra tax on people in this province for something that is already covered by our employers, but you are also, so I hear, looking at cutting services from OHIP; services such as chiropractic care, podiatry, optometry and physio-therapy. So, in effect, I'm going to be paying more for less.

Sir, respectfully, I am enraged by this. I have a disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. It is a rare form of auto-immune based arthritis that attacks my spine and many other joints in my body, as well as my eyes and, potentially, my heart. If not properly treated, patients with AS can develop what is called bamboo spine, the fusing of one vertebrae to the other. Proper treatment includes physio-therapy to help us stay mobile. It also includes optometry as a first line of defence against Iritis, a condition of the eyes that can lead to blindness in a worst case scenario if not properly treated and not caught early enough. Regular visits to our optometrists can aid in this, as getting into opthamology clinics can involve a wait of up to three months, too long when Iritis hits.

Although the use of chiropractic care is controversial in the treatment of AS, many of us make regular visits to the chiropractor for mobilization of our spines and larger joints, such as the shoulders and hips. Moblization that we cannot physically do ourselves.

Many people with AS deteriorate to the point that they are unable to work, depending upon disability which does not cover their living expenses. The medical care that all of us require just to get through a day, let alone live productive lives is astounding in its scope. Drugs that cause side effects that require more drugs for treatment, side effects that can eat away at our Gastro Intestinal tracts and stomachs are generally the first things tried in treating AS. Non-invasive treatments such as physio and chiro are essential to our wellbeing, to keeping us mobile (literally) and can, in some cases, make our dependance upon pain killing drugs less, as the more we move the better we feel.

Now, you are telling us that not only will I/we be expected to pay more for OHIP, but I/we will also be out of pocket for services that are essential to the treatment of our disease. To the treatment of many forms of arthritis, including Osteoporosis, which affects much of our aging population.

This is another issue. As we age, we require more care; glasses, foot doctors, physio therapy to deal with replaced hips and other joints. These cuts, if they, indeed, occur, will be a drain on the already fragile resources of our senior population as well as anyone with invasive arthritis.

I am sorely disappointed and dismayed at this, sir. If this budget occurs as I have heard it will, you will definitely have lost my vote, and the votes of my family and friends, in the next election.


Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

Great letter. Hopefully, other Ontario ASers will lobby their MPPs as well. I suppose that I'm lucky that I moved from Ottawa 3 yrs ago - except that the health care situation in Saskatchewan is suffering - so no doubt we'll be looking at something similar soon. I've already complained about the lack of rheumatologists. But, the good thing is that 10 session of physiotherapy / yr. are covered by the province.

yo Kat,

BRAVO...that's a great letter...please post whatever reply you get from this guy.

and followup letter ought to mention your suspending of campaign contributions for his party. just a thought.
paying more for less in a system with poor level of service to begin with is a potent cause for concern and action.

' don't mourn, organize' joe hill

pu liki
aloha Ben

Hi Dorothea! Welcome to KA!! Beautiful name, by the way.

I think what gets me the most is that there are so many abuses of our money occurring on so many different levels. And they talk about these amazing surpluses. Well, where the heck are they, then? What are they being used for? Not healthcare, that's for sure. I do believe that Canada's healthcare/medicare system can be fixed, but I do not believe that private clinics and user fees are the way to go. Education in a big way. One of the things that the Harris government did during their regime (which thank god ended), was to establish a health line. It's a 1 800 number that people can call for advice before they go off and clog up emergency rooms for sniffles. It is probably the only thing that his government did that I actually agreed with.

Apparently, 46% of Ontario's budget is devoted to health care. What the heck are they doing with all that money? I've always thought of the Liberals as the midpoint between the Conservatives and the NDP. However, as far as political parties go, I don't trust them - any of them, for that matter. I still maintain that my family has been very well served by our healthcare system. My dad was diabetic (with all the peripheral problems), my grandmother was in a coma from meningitis when I was 15 and survived (to die of emphasima of all things), my aunt has been under constant medical care for the better part of 35 years, my cousin has so many health problems (including fibro and two brain tumours), my uncle with prostate cancer, a 2nd cousin (3 years old) who is in remission from cancer, and me.

We all have received the treatments we needed going back to the mid-sixties. Right now, I have little to complain about, personally. However on a societal level, what I see scares the pants off me. Medicare began in Saskatchewan and spread from there to become a national programme, part of our national and cultural heritage. It's something we must fight for.

Sorry. I'm on a political rampage today. Ok, this week. Fine, in general right now!

Hugs,

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

Thanks Ben! I will most definitely post any response I get. I sent two, one to our premier (head of the provincial government) and one to my MPP (my provincial representative). We'll see what happens.

As I said to Dorothea, I'm on a bit of a rampage today. Having alot of fun too! Sort of gives me a focus for the frustration I'm feeling at being in pain again. OK, I never actually stopped being in pain, so 'having heightened pain again' would be more accurate.

Hugs,

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

bump

Thank you, John. Have I told you lately what a wonderful person you are?

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

Hey Kat - I LOVE your enthusiasm!!!

The budget speech isn't suppose to be delivered until 4 pm today... so how do ya know what's in it already??? I have heard they've been floating ballons on this topic (and certainly wouldn't put it past them at all to break even more of their election promises) but did you really expect any different? They are the known as the 'tax and spend' Liberals for good reason. And remember... it is the fault of their big brother at the Federal level. They are the one's that caused this whole mess in the first place, and not the provincial Conservatives. It was that huge drop in federal transfer payments for health care that lies at the root of our current nightmare.

Arrrrrrgh, well if this is really what they intend, then I'll definitely be sending them my thoughts in writing as well. And I will be making a point of telling them that if they FAIL to cover basic medical services such as these, they might as well just start adding all of our names on the list for disability. In the bigger picture, the decision is seriously flawed.

It really doesn't bode well for my chances of getting on Remicade. We shall see.

Thanks for firing me up Kat!

mig

At this point, Mig, it doesn't matter who caused it.(How's that for a deflection? ) What matters is finding a way to fix it that doesn't infringe on our rights to proper care.

How do I know? I read the papers, watch Canada AM. That kind of thing. The Globe and the Star were full of the additional health tax and Canada AM was talking about the service cuts, although that hadn't been verified and we won't know for sure until, well, about now, actually, since it's 4:15.

I'm glad you're fired up, tho. We need to get fired up about this stuff. If we don't make our displeasure known when our politicians make decisions we don't like, then we tacitly accept and condone then.

I didn't read anything about the pharmaceutical end being affected, by the way. However, I think someone is trying to put a National Pharmaceutical plan (similar to medicare) into place. Can't remember where I heard that, but I think it was someone on the west coast?

You know, I think I got a sliver (or ten) while I was gardening on Sunday. Only I've only just noticed it and now it's driving me NUTS! Think I should go to emergency for it?

Hugs,

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

"it is the fault of their big brother at the Federal level. They are the one's that caused this whole mess in the first place, and not the provincial Conservatives. It was that huge drop in federal transfer payments for health care that lies at the root of our current nightmare."

And just because I can't leave anything lie ...

You do realize that Mike Harris didn't have to cut taxes either. He knew the transfer payments were being cut and he had a choice between keeping OHIP going, or cutting taxes and slashing services. He chose the latter. So, I would say that it was a joint responsibility situation.

How's that for a compromise in differing opinions.

Hugs,

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison