Friday, 14th November 2008 - 15:22CET
Dalli calls for discussion on health insurance
Social Policy Minister John Dalli this afternoon urged the opposition to work with the government on making the health system sustainable well into the future.
He said the government has taken initial steps on a process to consider whether a health insurance system should be introduced by hiving off part of social security contributions and channelling it to the health account. This was a complicated matter – should there be public or private insurance and what should be covered?
But the first problem was to clearly establish what the health service was costing the country, and an accountant had been engaged to establish that.
Turning to expenditure on medicines, Mr Dalli said costs were rising fast. Should the state continuing to hand out free Panadols or concentrate on the more expensive, life-saving medicines? The government had just introduced Herceptin, but there was a whole list of other medicines which could be considered. The system, however, could not continue to be burdened.
The minister criticised the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses for ordering industrial action. He said the government was committed to honouring the collective agreement. But many things took time, in view of government bureaucracy – something which needed to be tackled too.
He agreed with the union that the nursing course should be reduced. Why did the course take three years in the UK and four in Malta?
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Comments
I was being sardonic
the problem with some people is that whenever nm MLP govt tries to do something all hell breaks free but when the PN does the same thing then it is only in the nation's interest.
It is true though that the PN govt is better at selling
Just take a look on the increase in car. reg. tax
The gov is paying for publicity to tell people that this was only done in the interest of a better environment. But this publicity did not mention the increase on car fuel ..irrespective of the type of car, or the increase in car reg iirespective if one changed the engine to a more eco friendly one, did not mention the increase of reg. on supposedly yachts when in fact it is discriminatory against the smaller vessels. Nor are we being informed what exactly we have to pay for our Water and Electricity which we are consuming right now
You are correct, but when the Labour Government introduced a similar 50c charge the PN and its little elves shouted that the Labour Government was conscienceless.
MD Fenech the above applies to you also.
Simon Sullivan
We pay our taxes which used to cover for everything, but now notwithstanding that we are burdened with more taxes than we can afford you support payment for health services. Maybe you can afford private treatment and can afford insurance, but the vast majority cannot.
A. Saliba
What are their wages and what amount of taxes do they pay? I don't think that they pay exorbitant taxes like us.
C. Mc Neil
Maybe for you it isn't a large sum, but for many families it is. And that is apart from the exorbitant taxes which we pay and the increase in VAT from 15% to 18% supposedly to cover our health system because of Mater Dejn.
Charles J Buttigieg
Remember also that those who earn more pay more taxes.
Why is it that it is being suggested that we pay for everything, one sector after the other?
WE ARE TAXED MORE THAN ENOUGH.
Health insurances can reduce the daily cost of Mater Dei, which is paid from your taxes.
Obviously the Tax or NI has to go down for those who decide to take care of their health themselves.
Thanks you again Minister Dalli for being the only one with Austin Gatt who have center right policies rather then left wing like some other ministers.
Our resources are limited, if we continue spending money on social services that we cannot afford our good medical services will decline and the lower income earners would be deprived the right of good health care while the strong would start going to private clinic. That would become capitalism of the lowest form which, thank God, our conservative government does’nt embrace yet thanks to the 16 years of Labour in Government that changed the PN mentality social services-wise.
I consider my salary as good and I pay my taxes to the full BUT since I am paying my taxes I still expect to benefit from the health services as much as those who don't or can't pay their dues.
I mean I am a Maltese citizen (so coming on a boat and pretend to be an illegal immigrant is out of question), and I happen to be male (so there is no way to become a single mother). Is there any other way how not to pay for the surcharge + the health services?
We are reaching a situation where its worth being 'a miskin'. No surcharge and Now free health services
Social justice is not the exclusive monopoly of Socialism. I am not a Socialist but I agree with you that everyone should be entitled to the best health care. A free market system creates more wealth than a state-controlled system. More wealth can then ensure a sustainable public health system. The pharmaceutical industry, that operates in a free market, has provided humanity with new cures that have saved millions of lives.
I am a lifelong Social Democrat and can never see myself voting PN, nevertheless if John Dalli finds the equitable formula to overhaul our social services I would be the first person to applaud him.
Our social contributions are not taxes, nor payments for a commercial insurance, as members of a civilised society we should all chip in to see to the needs of those families that need help. People who can afford must pay and the less fortunate that can’t afford are still entitled for the best health care for free. This is the progressive socialism which I believe in.
Before I retired from work my salary surpassed that of the Prime Minister, perks included free internet service, free petrol, a company car, free telephone, an enhanced health and hospitality insurance almost for free, an entertainment allowance as well as free air travel to any part of the world for me, my wife and our two lads.
In 2002 I went through a life threatening situation which needed major surgery and because of the seriousness of my condition my physicians recommended to get my treatment at St.Lukes naturally for free, moreover during my time at the hospital the Insurance Company gave me a lucrative per diem allowance as a gratuity for saving them the expense of more than LM 7,000 for my treatment. While I was getting my treatment and getting my gratuity, full salary and all the perquisites, young mothers were dying of breast cancer because our health service couldn’t afford the life-saving drug Herceptin.Some social justice!
But the government cannot expect us to fork out more money to cover ourselves for health/pension schemes right now.
To M D Fenech: It would have been a lot better had we paid the 0.50c in 1997 as back then we could afford it.
http://www.american.com/archive/2008/may-june-magazine-contents/the-singapore-model
"The United States spends 15.4 percent of its GDP on healthcare, while Singapore spends just 3.7 percent.
The state, using taxes, funds only about one-fourth of Singapore’s total health costs.
Singapore’s system requires individuals to take responsibility for their own health, and for much of their own spending on medical care. As the Health Ministry puts it, “Patients are expected to co-pay part of their medical expenses and to pay more when they demand a higher level of service. At the same time, government subsidies help to keep basic healthcare affordable.”
My concern with the current system is that although I am paying a massive amount of tax, I cannot enjoy the services of our supposedly free healthcare system... I mean how on earth can a worker queue for half a day in the outpatients department or wait for decades in a waiting list to get an operation done?? I am still ending up turning towards private clinics and hospitals anyway (call it an additional tax on my social security contributions!)
Basically, irrispective of how nice our new hospital is (and congratulations for that btw... St Lukes was despicable), we are not getting any value for our money at all.
We have to also quit this emerging (and stupid) mentality that if someone earns more, he or she has to pay more? What on earth are we talking about.... we already have an unfair system where the more we work, the more we're taxed!! incentivizing people not to work!
Maybe it's about time too! It could be that we are finally understanding that the status quo will only result in a more lethargic nation.
It's true that our current government finances are not 'fis-sod' - this may well be a step in that direction, ceteris paribus.
If you don't want to moan, pay for our services too.
and remember: promissio boni viri obligatio
Do you remember how GonziPN called Dr Sant a liar when he told the nation that GonziPN will stop giving us this free service?
Now we exaxtly know who the liar is.
Thank You, Dr Gonzi. Thank You Mr Dalli ...
I am happy to pay tax to ensure that decent healthcare is available to everyone in Malta. I am also sure that there is rampant waste and that John Dalli has the right qualities to introduce measures to increase efficiency in our health sector.
In my opinion, incentives to encourage private health insurance (such as BUPA) could reduce waiting lists and reduce the burden on state hospitals’ resources.
As for the free medicines the government should simply introduce a flat nominal fee when persons go to collect medicines. Even EUR3 would be fair considering that many medicines cost many multiples of this if you buy them from a pharmacy - that would stop the abuse of people going to collect medicines when they don't really need them. I could never understand why they criticised Sant so much when he introduced the nominal LM0.50 fee - it was a sound policy!!
Workers can only respond with industrial actions when pacts are teated as merely accumulated paper on shelves.
A mass-rally will be held by nurses on Tuesday. If the govt keeps on being intransigent in its stand, he will phase tougher actions.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
If this goverment introduces this WTC (waste deterrent charge will be called like this) it will surely be aplauded by the blue diehards
and although some unions and entities would oppose, people will eventually understand that it is for the sustenability of the system and that the goverment is being responsible
..dejavu anyone ?
can evreybody afford it?