MSP premiums going up

[jimmy4321]

In NS they don't pay on any plan ,infact they never have. Their provincial tax is much higher though.

[Glacier]

you don't have to pay it therefore its NOT a tax if you choose not to pay it nobodys going to garnish your wages or seize your assets its 100% up to you

You do have to pay if you are a child or if you want to take part in Canada's "free" healthcare system. Same goes for fuel taxes and tolls. The difference between an insurance and a tax is that insurance is based upon risk and cover the cost of program. By constrast, MSP just goes into general revenue like every other tax, does not cover the cost of the medical system, and is it not based upon risk.

By using your logic, BC could get rid of income tax all together, and preplace it with a $3000/year MSP premium, and would be rightfully be able to claim to have the lowest taxes in the country.

[LTD]

you don't have to be a part of the medical system if you don't want to, don't pay the premium if you don't want to no one will give a chit, if you or your family members get sick you can pay out of pocket its up to or you could pay the premiums and stop cryin about the cheapest healthcare on the planet

[Glacier]

you don't have to be a part of the medical system if you don't want to, don't pay the premium if you don't want to no one will give a chit, if you or your family members get sick you can pay out of pocket its up to or you could pay the premiums and stop cryin about the cheapest healthcare on the planet

You are totally irrational here. Why would you back out of something when your income taxes, PST, and road taxes pay 90% of the bill? You would not because the MSP is not insurance. If it where it would cover the cost of the program, which it does not.

[LTD]

I think its you whos being irrational you complain its a tax but a tax is something your forced to pay you don't have to pay it you can take a chance and hope you don't need it you may save enough over the years to pay as you go or you could have a serious health issue and be glad you paid your monthly premium .Theres a whole lot of people all over the world that would love to have access to our health care system and you complain about it and call me irrational people here jump for joy about spending 30 plus million on a friggin trail and whine payin an extra 5 bucks for healthcare lol

[Glacier]

Call me left wing, but I just don't believe in regressive taxes.

[Captain Awesome]

you don't have to pay it

I don't ? Awesome, next time they send me the bill I'll just say "screw it!".

[LTD]

does anyone make you pay it ? your more than welcome to take your chances and hope you don't need it

[Glacier]

does anyone make you pay it ? your more than welcome to take your chances and hope you don't need it

Only in the mind of the free-man-of-the-land do you not have to pay. I missed paying for a month or two a while back, and they sent me a nasty letter telling me to pay up for risk getting anally violated. Okay, I might be exaggerating the nastiness of the letter, but it was not "if you don't pay, you're cut off." It was instead more along the lines of, "pay up or collections will make sure you do."

[wanderingman]

Not 100% sure but I believe its a actual law that mandates you buy BC MSP

[Captain Awesome]

If I'm not mistaken, they simply take it from you tax returns if you don't pay.

[LordEd]

There is actually an opt-out option. However, you need to do so every year and you can't opt back in until the opt out expires.

If you go to the doctor or hospital, you pay out of country rates

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=w ... C9NCJtLuDg

[the truth]

In 2001, a single person paid $432 per year, or $36 per month!

ya and the wait times for surgery are still just as long if not longer

[Tony]

I don't ? Awesome, next time they send me the bill I'll just say "screw it!"

You can absolutely do that, but then you won't have the coverage this insurance offers, and you'll be on the hook for it. They don't make you pay for future premiums, but if you are late paying, then they want the months you owe, not anything in advance, same as making car payments or - wait for it - insurance premiums on your car or house.

[tgm929]

You can absolutely do that, but then you won't have the coverage this insurance offers,

Except that things covered by insurance are funded entirely by the insurance premiums. MSP covers only about 13% of BC's medical costs,t the rest is funded by...wait for it....taxes.

MSP is a fee that is designed so the BC government can pretend their personal tax rates are lower than other provinces. Basically MSP gets you access to to tax funded healthcare. Taxes provide you the actual healthcare. Whether you opt out of paying it or not, the largest part of your income tax is still going towards healthcare. It's in no way like any insurance I've ever had for my car/home/business.