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Citizens should be able to pay for care

Letters to the editor - Paying for care seen as a cure for wait lists.

We have a modern hospital with a trauma centre that serves Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, Lumby, the Shuswap and thesurrounding communities with an estimated population of 81,237.

Why is it that our caregivers have to take patients out of the intensive care unit and transfer them to Kelowna to have an MRI?The very act of deciding whether to book and transport patients to Kelowna has the effect of reducing the quality of healthcare to our local citizens. It’s very pathetic.

Secondly, why is it that I can travel to so-called Third World countries and get excellent health care almost immediately, withall of their citizens covered and receiving health care? In Canada, I have to wait six months for a colonoscopy or an MRI. Ourgovernment keeps throwing money at our health-care system, and most recently home care.

I have nothing against home care but the reason most countries have more accessible home care is they have a two-tieredsystem.

People who can afford to pay for treatment should be allowed to do so.

It would have the desired effect of reducing wait lists and make health care more accessible for folks like me who cannotafford to pay.

It’s not a matter of privilege. I eat at A&W and if my neighbours eat at the Keg, why should I care?

My neighbour, who can afford to pay for their health care, would have the desired effect of reducing wait lists and reducinggovernment spending on health care. This wouldn’t be that bad.

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Herbert Wyness