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LA ---- \ { i Letters M.D. writes letter to patients of Ontario Dear Sir: Regarding the continuing - troversy over the bill 94, soto comments. At first glance, bill 94 seems to be concerned with money and only with money. But, if this is so, I urge you to ask yourself why have 70 percent of the doctors in the province withdrawn their services when on- ly 6 percent "extra bill?"' Why have the doctors refused a $100 million of- fer from the government in increas- ed fees for experienced physicians? Why have several prominent Toron- to doctors refused to succumb to a government offer to double their fees for therapeutic abortions? Why have thousands of physicians who do not, have not, and never intend- ed to "extra bill' continue to strike at-a personal cost of hundreds of dollars in lost income? That these questions can even be asked should be sufficient evidence to counter any simplistic suggestion that the physi- cians' opposition to bill 94 is in any way founded on "'greed." What then is the issue? It is simp- ly this. The physicians correctly perceive that bill 94 is the first step in a cleverly concealed attempt by the government to assume full con- trol of the health care system. This is not merely fanciful or paranoia on our part. Political scientists, sociologists, indeed any careful observer of the health care situa- tions in other jurisdictions where medicine has become a state monopoly (witness Great Britain or Quebec), have recognized a com- mon and recurring pattern. First the banning of "extra billing," then some form of limitation on the number of patients seen per day by any physician, then a limitation on the number of visits per patient per illness, then the limitation in the number and kind of laboratory tests permitted to each patient or each physician, then the limitation on the number of doctors allowed to préc- tice in any given location. The list is endless. In Great Britain some pa- tients wait three to five years for non urgent hemorrhoid surgery, hernia repairs, and gall bladder removals. More urgent cases such as breast biopsies may wait more than one year. This is what state control of medicine means, and this is precisely what we physicians are fighting. It is true that such provisions are not directly stated in bill 94, but that these limitations on patient's and physician's needs and rights will follow from bill 94 is as sure as night follows day. The evi around us if we only care to look. The "'extra billing" ban is the first step toward an Crwellian nightmare and it is my heart felt hope that our patients can and will see beyond what the strike: may be doing to them, to what the strike is hoping to accomplish for them in the future. I urge all patients to please reflect on these issues carefully. For these reasons and many others, the physi- cians of Ontario are now on strike. For those who support us in our bat- tle, my deepest and most sincere thanks. For those who oppose us, I hope the brief comments in this let- ter will at least improve your understanding of our position and the drastic actions we have been forced to take. Sincerely, S.J. Stern, M.D,, Ajax, Ont. Editorial is all Comments (From page 4) Canadians, who would much prefer that we don't talk in public about such things: it might influence our children. _ One of Canada's problems in the rough and tumble cut-throat world of international business competition is we simply are not tough enough or aggressive enough. And why try harder when the govern- ment will bail us out if we fail, anyway? | Call it profit, call it greed, call it anything you like. But face the facts that this is what makes things go round, in the world of business. The fact that Ms. McDougall should be hauled up on the carpet for her choice of words is symptomatic of the way some Canadians continue to live with their heads buried in the sand. The Japanese must be laughing as they get set to open yet another manufacturing plant in this country. Patrick GO. Desgan DENTURE THERAPY CLINIC 305 Queen Street -- Port Perry BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! Phone: 985-2916 or 623-4473 co..ccn Wagg - McDermott - Panabaker Funeral Home Kindness - Courtesy - Economy We are bonded for your security. 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