LEP ME OR UN

User fees limit med

Dear Editor:

1 think it is very presumptuous
of North Vancouver MLA David
Schreck to believe he speaks for all
people when he rejected the pro-
posal set forth by the B.C,
Chiropractic Association, (“Chiro-
practors strike back.” Jan. 16
News.)

This organization has suggested
that 4.$2 monthly increase in MSP
dues would eliminate, all user fees
for supplementary health-care prac-
titioners, such as chiropractors.
naturopaths and massage therapists.

Many people whose taxes fund.

the health-care, system would wel-
come a little financial relief when
seeking their health therapy of

rth Shore News

rhesawe

choice. I know f would.

My tax dollars are already going
to fund the $25 million doctors’
pension fund. their disability insur-
ance and continuing education.

But considering how much my
husband and | pay in taxes and how
seldom my family visits the doctor,
L would fike to visil my chiroprac-
tor wilhout paying a user fee, simi-
lar to a visit with my doctor.

An article in the New England
Journal of Medicine stated that
one-third of all Americans have
sought unconventional medical
therapies. Sadly, but somehow nol
surprisingly. these people are also
not informing their own doctors
what they are doing. | believe the

_LGH donor dissatisfied

Dear Editor:

Jam writing this because 1
have friends waiting and waiting
to get to the Lions Gate Hospital
(LGH).

When EGH charged a fee of

$10 per day, it was accepted as
being very reasonable. ‘

Why that was changed to no
fee did not make any sense,
because it cannot be run on
nothing. The ng-fee must have
been a big loss to the hospital.

In LGH’s fall newsletter, the
renovation to the hospital's
operation rooms was stated as
$1.5 million, and they were

looking to the community to
help raise $500,000 of the
amount necessary to purchase
new equipment and technolo-
gies.

They will be merging the
Cardiac and Intensive Care
units, and eliminating 3.5 full-
time equivalent positions to save
about $175,000 annually.

We who recognize needs
when they occur give at that
time. But it is not fair to the
donors when those who get the
benefits have not first con-
tributed.

Elsie MacCaig

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ical choices

situation is the same in Canada.

If given the choice, most people,
and especially those who have ben-
efited from complimentary health
sare, would vote to increase their
monthly MSP dues by $2 to do
away with user fees and have
access to the doctor of their choice.

Health consumers are already
choosing unconventional medicine
to stay well and have an alternative
to drugs und surgery. To date,
orthodox medicine has had an eco-
nomic advantage because paticnts
do not pay a user fee regardless of
the number of visits.

In an ideal world. all health
practitioners would work together
for the benefit of the patient.

Before that day comes, at least
allow the beleaguered taxpayer the
tight to visit the health-care
provider who provides the care he
needs and wants.

Roxanne Davies
North Vancouver

Agcident®

UO

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