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Ann I'm from Ontario and would like to know if such a Forum meets in this province, time and place. Thank you. Fleurette At 07:41 PM 2/10/97 -0500, you wrote: >===================================================== > > >This is a long message to the 79 plus Canadians on the PARKINSN LIST >from Anne Rutherford on her soapbox. If the rest of you are not >interested --- please hit delete......... > >ABOUT <<The Canadian Forum on Health>> >Among the hundreds of ordinary citizens and healthcare experts who >participated in this Forum there were at least two people who knew >firsthand about living with Parkinsons. One was a caregiver and one was >a PWP. >Both were from Newfoundland. > >Last week the Canadian Forum on Health presented its findings on what >Canadians think of health care. I have not seen the complete report, >but I am very pleased that at least two of the reccommendations address >problems faced by PWP. > >FIRST They said that prescription drugs should be included in basic >health care coverage >In Newfoundland here are Parkinson patients whose prescription drug >costs are not covered by the provincial government or a private insurance >plan. What can a PWP do when the cost of prescription drugs for a year >can be $8,000, one third of their $25,000 pension income. > >SECOND The Forum recommended that Homecare be expanded >Homecare can keep the caregiver from wearing out and keep the PWP >functioning well. Homecare is essential for the PWP without family. It >costs les than institutional care. However it is not always available >and not always affordable and often hedged about with rules and restrictions. > >Right now is a good time to educate your Member of Parliament and your >Provincial Representative about PWP and the importance of health care. >As health is a provincial responsibility each province sets its own >rules about drugs . >For example, in Newfoundland, seniors whose income is low enough to >qualify for the federal GIS (guaranteed income supplement) get a drug >card. Other seniors must pay the full cost of their prescriptions >themselves if they do not have insurance. We have seen some insurance >plans for retired employees with a lifetime maximum payout which >Parkinson drugs reach in a few years. This leaves the pensioner high and >dry with a sudden increase of $5,000 plus in their cost of living. > >The Forum is appearing on talk shows and phone-in shows. If you have >opinions....................express them >Anne Rutherford > >================================= >