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Wednesday May 9, 2012

May 9, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday May 9, 2012

Lower fees forced on Ontario doctors

Sending a signal that will reverberate throughout Ontario’s broader public sector, Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals have broken with their conciliatory past by forcing a tough new deal onto Ontario’s doctors.

Less than two weeks after negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association fell apart, and despite requests by the OMA to call in a conciliator, Health Minister Deb Matthews announced Monday that a package of cuts to doctors’ fees will be unilaterally imposed through regulations, retroactive to April 1.

The abrupt manner in which the cuts were unveiled, amid claims by the OMA that Ms. Matthews has misrepresented discussions at the bargaining table, sets an aggressive tone for other negotiations – including with the province’s teachers. And it epitomized the shifting focus of a government once known for its big-spending ways.

The 37 fee-schedule changes announced Monday focus heavily (although not exclusively) on a relatively small number of high-paid specialists – mostly radiologists, ophthalmologists and cardiologists – and by the Liberals’ estimate will save $338-million in 2012-13 and $440-million in 2013-14. But sources say there are more broad-based cuts to come, to get the rest of the way to a two-year freeze in doctors’ total pay envelope.

Still on the table is the elimination of a “retention bonus,” which the Liberals had brought in to dissuade doctors from leaving the province. That benefit currently peaks at $5,000 every three years for doctors who have practised at least three decades.

The government also wants to revive so-called clawbacks of doctors’ fees once they exceed a level at which their ratio to overhead costs becomes skewed. (Source: Globe & Mail) 

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: care, clawbacks, doctor, doctors, fees, government, health, history, Ontario, savings, ScienceExpo, surgery, victorian

Wednesday February 4, 2009

February 4, 2009 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 4, 2009

Councillors OK City Hall ‘wow’ factor

City Hall is closer to having an extra $2-million “wow” factor.

Glorious architecture gallery

Councillors on the public works committee voted 5-3 yesterday to add to the project’s $74-million budget to create a glass enclosure in the building’s forecourt.

“I think it’s critically important that we get this right,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger, who believes the money is well spent to create a “wow” factor. “Let’s not be a penny wise and a pound foolish.”

The enclosure below the council chambers was previously approved by the renovations committee and must still go to council.

Councillor Bob Bratina said the city is kidding itself if it believes the indoor space will make City Hall more of a gathering place.

“I don’t see the value in spending that money,” he said, adding City Hall has never been welcoming.

“It’s just a forlorn place beside a highway.”

Councillor Chad Collins, who joined Bratina and Sam Merulla in opposing the project, said he’d rather see the money spent on other infrastructure work. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

 

Posted in: Hamilton Tagged: architecture, care, city hall, design, fish tank, green house, Hamilton, reno, renovation, show room, smoking, wow factor

Please note…

This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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