One argument you are likely to hear in BC’s new “conversation on health” is that public health care is unsustainable because our population is aging and seniors use a disproportionate amount of health care services.
But before we hit the collective panic button, let’s take a look at the facts.
While population aging has put upward pressure on health care costs, its impact is relatively small. Over the past decade, it has accounted for annual cost increases of just under one percent, and projections indicate that it will be only slightly higher in the future.
Government finance
(Vancouver) Fears that health care costs will spiral out of control as BC’s population ages are greatly exaggerated, according to a new study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The study finds that population aging is only a small contributor to pressures on the health care budget, and that the system can be maintained and enhanced without breaking the bank.
We expect governments to make decisions as to what programs have outlived their purpose or are deemed a waste of resources. We also expect governments to provide clear justification and to consult with us when it undertakes significant program cuts and policy shifts.
Governments will inevitably face resistance from the various interests that have benefited from the programs being cut – all the more reason to provide a clear rational for program cuts if governments are to maintain pubic support.
Suffering from fiscal whiplash? First the Harper government tells us the 2005/06 surplus is $13.2 billion. Then on the same day, it announces large spending cuts.
Doesn't it seem a bit gratuitous to cut spending if Ottawa is flush with cash? For a government focused on getting a majority in the next election, cutting programs popular with potential voters seems a funny way to do it.
But if you take another look at the numbers, you will see why Finance Minister Jim Flaherty must cut spending.
(Vancouver) Amid rising public concern about poverty and homelessness, the provincial government is being urged to adopt a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy in its next budget. “With a surplus that is likely to pass the $4 billion mark next year, there is no reason why we can’t address the growing problem of poverty amidst plenty,” says Marc Lee, CCPA–BC’s Senior Economist.
(Vancouver) An independent analysis of the Sea-to-Sky highway project has found that it will cost taxpayers an extra $220 million over the next 25 years as a P3 than if the government had used its traditional financing and procurement processes.