SOUTH MUSKOKA HAS BEEN LOSING HOSPITAL BEDS FOR DECADES — FROM 96 DOWN TO 18 IF NEW NEW MAHC MODEL APPROVED
Lois Cooper | MuskokaTODAY.com OPINION
The Province of Ontario has been telling the people of Ontario for the past 50 years that the public health-care system is not sustainable. OPINION
In 1974 the first cuts to hospital beds across the province took place by none other than Muskoka MPP and minister of health Frank Miller.
It has been a slippery downhill slope from there.
South Muskoka Memorial Hospital had 96 beds at that time. It now has 67 beds and the board proposes to build a new building on a different site with only 18 beds.
Huntsville has 56 beds today. Together they will add 34 more — with HDMH getting 139 beds under the new model.
How did we get here?
By not paying the taxes needed.
For instance, the Ontario Health Premium has not been updated in 18 years.
In 2004 Queen’s Park implemented an Ontario Health Premium to be paid annually at income tax time.
It has not been updated since 2005.
It is a very complex system.
You pay $0 if your taxable income is $20,000 or less.
The person with a taxable income of $25,000 pays $300.
The person with a taxable income of $200,600 pays $900.
The person paying $900 a year has an income eight times greater than $25,000.
Yet only pays $900.
Eight times $300 is $2400.
Why doesn’t the province have enough money to fund excellent health care, long term care, home care and end of life care?
The answer is clear.
Make the premium fair.
The electorate must take a stand. Now is the time.
We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore.
Tell MPP Graydon Smith, tell Premier Ford.
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