Elites are playing with our medical system

Should our Medical Services Plan be such a political football?

Our B.C. Liberal government has doubled MSP premiums, then cut them in half just in time for the May 9 provincial election.

Disliking unions, our government took responsibility for our MSP from the B.C. Government and Services Employees Union and handed it to the Virginia-based corporation Maximus. Maximus was to be paid about $320 million over 10 years to administer billing for the B.C. government. This was to be a fixed cost, but ballooned to about half a billion dollars over the 10 years. That money could be working here.

Other provinces fold MSP premiums into income tax in a way that charges the very wealthy more than those of middle and low income. Wouldn’t this cost less than Premier Christy Clark’s plan?

Our B.C. government fought legal battles, using taxpayer dollars, to stop the details of the Maximus contract from being shared with taxpayers. Why? Shouldn’t we know the details? This brings up the obvious question: What do the B.C. Liberals gain from outsourcing taxpayers’ money to an American corporate giant?

It’s crazy that MSP brings in more money than fisheries, mining and forestry. Then our money in handfuls goes to an American-based corporation. What happened to our economy?

Why has our medical system become a playing chip for the high-roller political/ corporate elite? It’s our medical safety net. Wake up, B.C. Ted Roberts Sooke