Free health care for all is ‘unsustainable’

MaryJo Camenzuli

Aug 1st 2011, 21:24

Free health care IS sustainable as it has been up to now if the public exchequer is well managed.

Otherwise we will end up wtih creeping health care payments as were the taxes on medicines and on doctors' sickness certificates imposed by the Labour government in 1997.

.

Steve Attard

Aug 1st 2011, 05:33

500,000Euro/day divided by 400,000 population = euro1.25 / person / day

I find it quite a reasonable cost. Avolia hemm dik il hela kollha.

Wage Tax, Company Tax, Social Security, Mobile Phone Tax, Bla Bla Bla Tax, VAT, Custom Duties, plus 100 more taxes.

For sure Malta is mismanaged.

David S.Rizzo

Jul 31st 2011, 18:50

Health care is not free, we pay Taxes and National Insurance for that. As for the huge number of people who visit the ER every day, i think its obvious that a GP would ask for a fee. Materdei should stop accepting everyone, people with a cold or fever should just be sent away. I don't mean to be cruel but the EMERGENZA is just what its name states. I do not want to have someone in my family rushed to ER on his death bed and find out its clogged with people with all sorts of petty ankle twists and other ailments who are too selfish to pay a 10 euro for a GP.

I know my comment may seem inappropriate but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

Joe Fenech

Jul 31st 2011, 17:23

NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only the government's mismanagement of the country is unsustainable!

Mr Joseph Calleja

Jul 31st 2011, 16:32

Nothing in life is free. Someone or somebody is paying for your free health care. People (well at least most people) pay taxes to sustain your health care, so please stop saying that the health system in Malta is free. Hard working men and women are paying high taxes (Vat) so you and I can go to Mater Dejn (as one gentleman put it) and enjoy that free health care. It costs about €500,000 a day to run Mater Dei, that is approx half a million euros a day, and where do you think all that money is coming from? Have you checked the deficit lately? We are becoming more and more like the USA, need more money? raise the deficit, no problem. Ever since the beginning, Mater Dei has been used and abused mostly by people who don't even pay any taxes. According to statistics, Mater Dei serves more as a retirement home than a hospital. The ER is so vastly abused that as a lot of people will tell you, you have to wait hours upon hours to be seen because a lot of people abuse the system and instead of going to their doctor or clinic they choose to go to the Mater Dei ER for minor health problems. The authorities don't have the b.lls to turn these people away and send them to a clinic instead of tying up the ER with their little booboos. Everybody seems to know that except the Mater Dei management. Even the hard working doctors and nurses are flabbergasted at what comes through the ER doors. Elderly have to stop using Mater Dei as a retirement home. No my friend, health care in Malta is only free for those that take advantage of the system and today or tomorrow the country is going to run out of money and unless more taxes are levied the country will not be able to support Mater Dei Hospital for long, like they cannot sustain Air Malta. Mater Dei is heading in the same direction as Air Malta unless the perks and freebies are not stopped. You cannot squeeze blood out of a turnip. Free health care is a term the politicians use a lot only because they are spending our hard earned money. Politicians covered their a.s when they voted themselves the Honoraria Pay Raise and the €500 euro a week Pay Raise raise to keep up with the cost of living. Have you and I seen any of that? Of course not. Nothing is free in this world, not even in Malta, contrary to what politicians want you to believe. Somebody is definitely paying for your health care.

Glenn Zammit

Jul 31st 2011, 16:12

Gonzipn - Is servizz tas sahha ha jibqa bxejn (Qabel l-elezzjoni)
2011
issa qed inqabdu xi puppet li jitkellem minflok gonzipn u johrog bi stqarrija bhal din???
Mela NI alxiex qed inhallasa???
Ghal pensjoni li sakemm nasal bix nohoda jin (li ghandi 26 sena ) qass ha nxomma ax sa dak iz zmin mux tkun mietet il pensjoni

Ghall kura b xejn mil isptar bix issa iridu jaghmluh bil hlas

Gonzi pn tistaw ma taqtawlix NI contribution u niehu hsib l affarijit tijaj wahdi ghar rasi.

Mr Peter Korsten

Jul 31st 2011, 15:08

For all those who are up in arms because their 'free' healthcare might be under threat: there's no such thing as free healthcare, ever. You pay for it, one way or another. In this country, it's called National Insurance, although I doubt that all NI contributions cover both medical and social expenses.

The thing is, though, I've only gone to Mater Dei (or St. Luke's) to visit friends and family. So in that way, I'm paying for what I'm not using. That's OK, though, because if I get hit by a bus, they'll rush me to hospital and provide me with treatment that very probably costs more than I've contributed so far.

But I'm also paying for people who don't need to go to hospital, and there's the catch. If one third could have gone to a GP or a health centre, it means that a good amount of that half a million daily is wasted. Over the course of a year, this wastage could amount to the cost of running Mater Dei for a month.

May I remind everybody that we still have a €4.500.000.000 debt, whichis growing by the day? At some point, we need to go from a deficit to a surplus, and nothing can be excluded a priori, lest we end up like the USA, where this sort of bickering has left them with a national debt per capita that is on par with Greece.

Ms D Galea

Jul 31st 2011, 13:15

It is high time that people in this country faced the facts of life. There is nothing in life that is truly free and that includes social services of any kind, student stipends and the national healh service.

Mr Saviour falzon

Jul 31st 2011, 12:55

many years have passed, milions have been wasted on free meds, like people who can afford easily meds will go get them from Goverment Health care for free, Ridicolous.
Free meds must be only to who is really in need , millions could have been saved , but , one easily knows the why .

Claire Busuttil

Jul 31st 2011, 12:45

Poplu qum, tkomplies tacetta kollox!!!

Mr Anthony Azzopardi

Jul 31st 2011, 12:30

This was a professional engineer's assessment: He is not trained to hide the truth. Moreover he does not have to garner votes for the next and the next elections.
It would be more honest if at least the politicians (both sides, mind you) did not treat health as a political football and stop trying to score points. As leaders they should at least embark on a national campaign to make sure that we can CONTINUE to AFFORD to maintain free health services at least for the essential services. For example do we still have to dispense aspirin and paracetamol for free? These two items will not make a difference to the health budget but they serve as examples.
If we spend beyond our means we will soon have the EU forcing us to cut down on EVERYTHING. Or are we waiting so we can pin the blame on the EU when the crunch comes?

Mr Robert Callus

Jul 31st 2011, 12:01

A crack down on bureaucracy and overpaid contractors will do the trick. Take the hourly wage of a sub-contracted cleaner. Deduct that from the amount the contractor is being paid for his employee's hour of work and you'll find the answer.

E. Azzopardi

Jul 31st 2011, 12:00

I do not know the gentleman and I wish him all the best in his new job. But how do you appoint an engineer as the CEO of a hospital? It is like appointing a doctor in charge of Enemalta! An engineer's place is at Enemalta for example. I should think that a doctor or professor of medicine, also being a very good administrator, would be the CEO of a hospital. Can you imagine during board meetings?

Anthony Grech

Jul 31st 2011, 11:58

Does this means that Dr. Alfred Sant was right when he introduced a small payment of 50cents? Where were all these experts at that time? Was the PN wrong than in criticizing this measure? Or was the PN playing for the gallerija?... Hypocrites...

Mr Charles Muscat

Jul 31st 2011, 11:57

Forget the vote it is impossible everything is for free. Maltese should be happy if they were to pay something, firstly you have a right to complain, secondly the hospital runs better.

Mr Joe Cardona

Jul 31st 2011, 11:56

Daz-zgur ghas-CEO u shabu li pogguh hemm mhux problema ghax ghandhom mijiet ta' eluf ta' ewro f'paga.

Mhux hekk ghall-izbalji ta' haddiehor irid ihallas il-povru poplu. Ara ikunx hemm xi partitarju nazzjonalista li jaqbel li s-sahha trid thallas ghaliha.

mela veru iridu jeqirdu kollox li ghamel il-Gvern laburista tal-Perit Dom Mintoff. X'fadal ikisser aktar il-gvern ta' Gonzi PN

Mr David Galea

Jul 31st 2011, 11:54

The usual crap and across the border statements from a newly and probably promoted up manager. The new CEO trying to give a good reason why he was given the position.

I strongly believe that we should eliminate any abuse but we cannot put everyone in the same basket. No wonder and rightly so the Minister put in his say.

Dear Mr. Caruana the general population does not earn your type of salary and the many extra direct and indirect benefits, like insurances packs for you and your family, mobile/telephone/car etc etc etc.

You have been working in top manager for 20 years. Iin other words you cannot understand the needs of the general public.

May I suggest to restrict your comments.

j brincat

Jul 31st 2011, 11:53

Faqqet il-BOMBA!

What has the Minister of Health to say about this statement?

We are eagerly waiting for a denial.

(jb)

Joseph Grech Attard

Jul 31st 2011, 11:46

This is nothing else but truth. The mismanagement of the present government has brought health services to become unsustainable. But this is the same in many other sectors, including energy, standard of living etc. "Money is no problem" of EFA is now a problem, but only to the general public, of course.
I do not know what the PL can do to help solve this. Whoever wins the next general elections have to take action. Better make it known now. If the PL wins and needs to do it, it shall have a very negative start. Let's not forget the Water and Electricity Bills which put the MLP into the dark a few years back. This would be a repetition. I do not think the present administration would change anything in the health scheme at this moment. It has to if it wins the next general elections.

Victor Pulis

Jul 31st 2011, 11:29

How much of our tax goes into health care? If the government decides to start charging for health services we expect him to slash tax as he will no longer need to collect it for health purposes at least.

Mr John Azzopoardi

Jul 31st 2011, 11:19

Mater Dei is a public hospital that falls under the government. The new CEO boss is the government, meaning the prime minister. So, what the CEO really is trying to get out is the message of the government. The government is preparing the people - saying that hospitalization cannot be free for all, slowly for the eventuality of this event. Let's stop kidding ourselves. Everything in Malta cannot be free. What I get annoyed at is come one and all - even from foreign countries, who don't contribute a cent in tax and use the hospital for medical reasons for free. Where are our members of parlament. They should be keeping track and asking questions were the cost are coming from.

Mr B. Cachia

Jul 31st 2011, 10:52

Asking people to pay a modest percentage of the cost of healthcare, including medicines, would probably not cause anyone any hardship but would reduce waste and cut down the waiting lists. Of course, those who truly can't afford it should not be made to pay, but for the rest of us why not, if if will give us a better service?

Franco Sciberras

Jul 31st 2011, 10:43

I agree whole-heartedly with Mr. Pedersen's comments: A hospital is an organisaction and should be MANAGED like one by a person who know how to manage - believe it or not such a person need not be a doctor !!

We all agree that nothing is free. I think we also agree that keeping our health system free for users depends on Government policy. This could well be a first warning shot of a change in such a policy or there again i could be the professional opinion of a manager who calls a spade by its proper name.

If Mr. Caruana's comments refer to the health system's "commercial" sustainability - these are nothing new - we know that the system always depended on Government funding. If his comments refer to the need to introduce a charge for the use of resources, than that is a political decision that is not in his remit to make such a decision or to tout its possibility in a public forum. It is obviuosly his duty to refer such a matter to the Health minister .

Mr Joe Gatt

Jul 31st 2011, 10:33

Couple of weeks ago it was being suggested that this issue, unsustainable Welfare and Medical, may be saved by increasing the number of Imigrants from Sub Saharan States.

The idea being that we need qty.5 Workers paying into the system, for each person retiring, for our Health Care, ect.

It would most probably save the day, however the new imigrant and their Families will definetly require Medical care, and in a few years will retire themselves, thus require a further, the miracle cure of 5 Workers to Support one.

There may be another hitch to this solution, the surface area of these small Islands, ie Size, and Overpopulation.

We have been paying Contribution for a life time for this Service, So It is Certainly NOT FREE, being in most cases prepaid.

We deserve even better, as it is becoming a struggle to get proper attention, and we are being politely and Discretly being advised to seek Private Health Care, should one not be able to wait for Months and even years.

Hands Off, and give us Back this Service and with a Smile.

Mario Grima

Jul 31st 2011, 10:24

Wait for it ladies and gentlemen, old and young, here it comes - A hefty health tax because the minister and his newly appointed CEO at Mater Dei have stated that the country's health bill is unsustainable. Fine way to start your job Mr. Caruana but then he needs to please his boss.

Mr Lawrence Fenech

Jul 31st 2011, 10:21

Give us all Euro 500 a week and forget the "free health care".

Carmel Grima

Jul 31st 2011, 10:19

CEO Joseph Caruana is an engineeer by profession. Ethically he should have been addressed as Ing. instead of Mr.

Andrea Said

Jul 31st 2011, 10:16

Fair enough, except that, is it really free with such high taxes we pay??

David Caruana

Jul 31st 2011, 10:07

"Free health care for all cannot be sustained for much longer"

Finally someone is pointing at the elephant in the room!

Anyway, "free healthcare" is false in reality - nothing is free in life. At the end of the day, these funds are taken from each and everyone's tax/NI.

V. Cauchi

Jul 31st 2011, 10:07

If the four-level carpark at Mater Dei, two levels of which are occupied by employees' cars, falls under the aegis of the CEO, I suggest he should be taking action to find a solution to the present problem of visitors' cars not finding a bay where to park their car in spite of tickets having been issued to them, sometimes manually, to enter the carpark.
The frustration, racing and bad driving presently witnessed in the carpark, especially in the10am-noon period, are unexplainable especially in a place forming part of a hospital complex, where accident prevention should be a priority.
One simple suggestion. Staff mostly clock in at 7 a.m. and later change shift at the same time. Would it be an out-of-this-world idea to dedicate a parking area to them within or outside hospital precincts and have them bussed to their respective entry points during their clock-in and out hours? A minivan or two would then only be employed for a limited period and costs would not be so exorbitant. Other staff (like doctors) keeping different hours would still be able to use the carpark.
As the system used to be, with only one level reserved for hospital staff, I think the system used to work well.

Louis Craus

Jul 31st 2011, 10:00

Regghet faqqet il- BOMBA. li ghall- kura ta' Sahhitna trid tigi bil- hlas. Mela naghmel ghomri kollu nahdem mal- Gvern inhallas it-taxxi, bla ma stajt nevita l-ebda centezmu, barra taxxi ohra sekondarji, w' issa, rrid inhallas ghall-kura ta' sahhti. Hekk sew! Hu huma,b' zieda ta' 500 Euro fil-gimgha,u lili hadili qabel taghili. Halluna. Sparpaljajtu pajjiz.! Ghalhekk kienu jghidu "par idejn sodi ",ghax kienu jafu li ser IKISSRU PAJJIZNA.

Klaus Pedersen

Jul 31st 2011, 09:46

"However, Health Minister Joe Cassar was quick to stress that “health is not a business”, but a social aspect of life, and the government will be doing its utmost to sustain this."

If this is true, could the government please start by taking the administration of waiting lists out of the hands of the very surgeons who are making a bundle on operating the same patients privately - thus having a financial interest in keeping the waiting lists (sic) long.

That "sic" is because: I doubt there is a real list. The list is in the drawer of the specialist and not accessible to the public or the authorities.

A sick system designed to line the pockets of the doctors at the expense of the sick. So much for the hypocritical (no mistake) oath.

Joseph Caruana

Jul 31st 2011, 09:45

For sure it is not sustainable, just like any other government department and company.
Free? And from whom the government get the money? From people who work.
The ones that use the hospital for free are those who don't pay their taxes' contribution to the society.
Wake up Malta - nothing is free in a governmental system.

!

A. Cachia

Jul 31st 2011, 09:44

......the rumble of thunder.

B Agius

Jul 31st 2011, 09:34

Will Gonzi's promise to have free Health Services to all during the current legislation, last up to election time? Os was it another promise similar to that to Malta Shipyards employees, Airmalta employees and the reduction in Income Tax rate?

BTW, maybe the solution will be to take the money for City Gate project and new parliament and invest them in the Health service. At least most of the country will benefit from such an investment and not a few parliamentarians.

If Gonzi cannot keep his promises, I wonder how one can consider him a proper leader and Prime Minister.....

K Busuttil

Jul 31st 2011, 09:27

Had a person with vested interest not shot down Hon. Dr Cassar's proposal for patients to register with a GP who could then be point of contact for repeat prescriptions and initiate investigations then the hospitals wouldn't be this overrun and the situation would not be this unsustainable! A good GP can filter properly which patient needs hospital care and who can be looked after in the community. In Malta the consultants cling to their powers of chronic disease monitoring, repeat prescribing and monopolise the initiation of investigations. USE THE GP's. They are doctors and an untapped resource in Malta. Why go to Gynae clinic for a smear if your GP can do it?! Why go to a consultant to be told you need to get your blood checked for thyroid levels?! EMPOWER THE MALTESE GP and then you can make the healthcare system sustainable!

Carmel Zammit

Jul 31st 2011, 09:13

Since when are CEOs allowed to tell what the government's policy should be. Mr. Caruana's duty is to run mangament and ensure that resoruces are manged as best as they can. Is this goal being reached? The answer is a definite big, fat NO. The people would want Mr. Caruana to assure them that if they need medical attention especially if they need hospitalisation they are not left on a stretcher for days on end. This is one task for the CEO and he needs no ones approval or no change of policy to do it. After having paid social security for the entire work life we need no CEO to tell what teh government policies should be. I should not imgaine that the government's intention when employing Mr. Caruana was to advice on policy. Had this been the case then government has certainly made a bad choice. Engineers should be left to apply their knowledge and skills in engineering not be hired to run hospitals and venture into areas beyond their competence. Having an engineer managing a hospital defies all logic. No wonder Mater Dei is in a state or disarray.

Sherri Farrugia

Jul 31st 2011, 08:59

So much for Gonzipn's pre-election promise that health care will remain free!! And they had the gall to criticize Alfred Sant for imposing a measly 50cent fee on medicines from the hospital pharmacy....at least certain medicines were always available because they had to be paid for! Why are we paying such high taxes then.....or is it so we can contribute to Gonzipn's 500 euro weekly rise???

Mr Mike Farrugia

Jul 31st 2011, 08:59

I think I heard this before. The government "solved" the bleeding problems at Malta Drydocks, Mid-med, Sea Malta, PBS, Tug Malta, Transport Malta etc etc....when are these policies going to render a decrease in our taxes?
I am sure that health will someday cease to be free but it will not reflect any decrease in our taxes.

Mr Andrei Azzopardi

Jul 31st 2011, 08:52

Imposing low fees and for a better service I agree but the private hospital fees are too exorbitant to even think about. If Mater Dei would have the same prices as the current private hospital fees and the health insurance policies remain as-is, then we would REALLY have a big problem. Not everyone could afford a health insurance policy with the current wage rates of Malta. This is like a double edged sword...

Steve Attard

Jul 31st 2011, 08:50

Mater Dei is not free, we pay TAX.

What need to be done is "IL HELA"

Recently I was in Mater Dei and the service was very good. The only issue was I was kept for some 10hours +/- in the emergency room till I was in my ward.

What I noticed in my ward is that some people especially old ones did not wanted to go home but wanted to stay in the hospital. Maybe I am wrong but could it be that mater dei have a percent of old people in bed for nothing?

There are a lot of other issues such as Food management. I saw many plates in the trolley not eaten not touched or eaten small portions.

The problem is whatever is FREE hemm il HELA.

Mr Charles Mangion

Jul 31st 2011, 08:50

c.mangion If Mr Caruana can afford to pay well and good iam sure with the salarie he is getting he can afford to pay 00000000000000000000000we pay the national contributions to cover the health scheme and the pension

Victor Rodenas

Jul 31st 2011, 08:42

Well, when a few years ago Dr. Alfred Sant,with courage,tried to address the situation and imposed a nominal fee of 50cents on `free medicines` the PN said that if they will be elected they will write off this small fee......which they did.Now who is going to put the bell around the cat`s neck?

Mr Henry Mifsud

Jul 31st 2011, 08:36

A hot potato indeed. The problem is that people no longer tie with a handkerchief half a potato to their forehead when they have a headache as in the past. They have progressed and consume drugs for every ailment. As to prescriptive drugs which are being handed free-of-charge, let us not kid ourselves and assume that everyone is abusing of the system. There are people out there who are in desperate need for these and let this be a warning to government if the intention is to remove these: DON"T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
The problem of financing free-medication and more so Mater Dei, is not lack of funds but the mismanagement of them. For many years now government has been treating National Insurance contributions as just another tax rather than putting these in their proper use for Social assistance. Funds collected find themselves camouflaged in the ever growing Public debt, which is being caused by the mismanagement of the country as a whole. We had a serious of finance ministers who looked at the Budget process from an accountant's point of view i.e. as long as the book balances match, we have achieved results. But any economists will tell you that this is wrong. All one needs to do is have a look around us and see what is happening to Greece, Portugal, Ireland, etc.

Quo Vadis Malta indeed!

Joseph Borg

Jul 31st 2011, 08:35

Common sense, that's what most politicans lack....

What we do for votes!!!!

Very easy solution would be to have a health insurance that covers all goverments health services. Employers must pay for, at least, half of the fee (if not all, as part of the employment package). This should be intruduced for every worker (excluding unemployed persons) ASAP. Whenever one goes to Materi Dei, he just shows the insurance card and insurance does the rest.

By the way, pensioners included!!!!

francis Buhagiar

Jul 31st 2011, 08:06

Frans Buahgiar
Doesn’t the CEO pays any taxes. Aren’t we paying enough for our hospitalisation through the taxes we are paying. What about the 500 Euros increase in the government MP salary and the new parliament and the disastrous Arriva all paid through our money they are a weight on the people not the medical care we receive in hospital.

Adrian Gouder

Jul 31st 2011, 07:56

Primarily, 'free' is a misnomer. We pay for it through our taxes.
Secondly, by introducing payment one would create a division between the ones that can, and the ones that cannot afford it.
Thirdly, even if one can afford it, one could 'run out of insurance cash' or quite simply, the insurance would stop covering particular cases because of 'last year's claims' as is the disgusting practice now!

Do we really want this? Apart from this, introducing payment would just mean someone gets a profit, that is, it would cost people more simply to give a profit to someone else (one of the usual crowd). If necassary, increase taxes and keep healthcare free.

Mr. Caruana, such sweeping statements serve only to cause damage, give private enterprise some brilliant ideas of how to make more money, and give politicians the excuse they need to introcuce that tiny charge... which eventually becomes a huge one in a very short time indeed, leaving the less fortunate in our society with less than basic assistance.

Increase the taxes if necasary, and keep healthcare free.

Mr Joseph Agius

Jul 31st 2011, 07:50

Finally.....some sense! ...... May I suggest that our members of parliament (both sides) take long sabattical leave....and let 'non-political' people (who are not interested in votes) take decisions?

J Attard

Jul 31st 2011, 07:45

Millions could be saved if physicians were not so quick to provide prescription drugs as the solution to every problem...free medication is dispensed here like candy...ridiculous

Mr ALBERT FENECH

Jul 31st 2011, 07:38

This is all deceptive kidology. A free health service has been long gone, dead and buried. Long waiting lists for operations have over the years driven more and more people to have private investigations and operations. Home visits by GPs are always on the increase and pharmacies even charge you for using their waiting room! At Mater Dei itself, many consultants and specialists "advise" patients they will be able to "help" them better if they visit them privately. In many, many cases, the comcept of a free health service has long disappeared. So why prolong the sham and the shame? The Government should dismantle this charade concept completely and reveal the real truth which is, you have to pay. One earnest word of advice - when privitisation is announced, this should be accompanied by strict and accounted for regulations regarding price and service. Operations that citizens cannot afford because of their expense and complexity, like heart, brain etc should still be available as a free service. Rather than prolong the agony, the Government should bring out its true scalpel and start incising.

ALBERT FENECH
Qawra