Recently announced changes to the funding formula for federal transfer payments for health care are very strange. The old formula, as I understand it, was based on a calculation taking into account the number of people in the province, the age of the population, average incomes and the urban rural mix. The new formula is based on the number of people only.
The result is that every province except Alberta will have a cut in their funding for health. Alberta is the one province that is getting an increase but is probably the only province that does not need that particular increase. The result will probably be that that money will not be spent on health but rather just be added into their general revenue fund (a very sad story).
The federal Government is determined to balance their operating budget before the next election and this is another ploy to accomplish that! Balancing the operating budget is not, in my opinion, a priority of most Canadians. Maintaining or even improving our health care system is much more important. Why can they not look at ways the federal government can help to accomplish that? There are ways and these ways can be implemented within the current guidelines that give each province jurisdiction over health care delivery.
If you are interested in my (Bob) thoughts on this point or if you have some suggestions please let me know by using the 'contact us' below.
UD Nov 5, 2013