More Alberta Health Services Closing

Here we go again - more services around Alberta are closing down, less than 2 months after the AHCI premium was ended. Surely if they ended the premium payments, that meant Alberta was doing awesome and didn't need the extra cash? Then what's with all the closures? Get ready for more, that's all I can say.

Banff closing Maternity Services due to nursing shortage
Brooks closing Maternity Services (note: I cannot find a link to this story on CFCN yet but that is where I watched the clip tonight, saying Brooks mothers have to go to Calgary or Medicine Hat now. This is also due to nursing shortages).


Oh and remember when I complained that my extended health insurance magically increased right before the Alberta Health premiums ended? Now it's happening with Blue Cross too. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Hmm AHCI was $44/person and $88/family and now Blue Cross is increasing by $20ish/person and $41/family. Interesting. But don't let it stop there, it is also going to rise to over $60/person and $118/family next year. Sure they say it hasn't gone up since 1993, but it's still highly suspect all of this is going on around the axeing of basic premiums. And seeing as my extended health care increased in price but DECREASED in what it gives for benefits, I wouldn't be surprised to see the same from Blue Cross.

Again I say, if you were one of the people thrilled about getting free basic health care, shame on you! You HAD to know it would come out in different sectors instead. And might I remind you that low income families, seniors, and people receiving disability like AISH already got it for free (or reduced) so the only people getting it free now are the ones who should be able to afford paying 40 bucks a month. Shame Shame Shame. And shame on our supposedly conservative *coughBScough* premier for allowing this to happen. Things are going to deteriorate steadily and that is so disheartening. I do not want my children to grow up in a province where their care is not in tip top form, but what choice do I have? Moving to another province won't even solve that - check border towns to see how many BC and Sask residents come here instead. It's very sad and I feel trapped due to others' ridiculous idealogical utopian dreams that are not realistic in any way, shape or form.