Ontario Health "Premium"

[Petard]

Any health care administrators tracking this?

It still seems like the Ontario government is getting money for nothing.
If I understand the process right, even when a military member does use civilian health care services, the cost of that service is billed to DND, no?
if St Michael's premise was correct, then all provinces would be following Ontario's suit.

I was posted to Ontario for a little over a year, 2004-2005, no dependants, and although it wasn't a lot, paying this health care premium sucks.
And I don't see it as whining by drawing attention to what is happening, it is sorting something out that isn't right. If you want to let this one go, what else are you willing to write off?

 

[Armymedic]

this is not a premise:

IF we as a CF did not use any civilian facility paid for by the people of Ontario, then possibly we would have a leg to stand on. IN reality because of the downsizing of the CF and the CF medical services, we are now quite dependant on the provincial system to provide our soldier the standard of care that is required. In Ottawa alone, we share facilities and staff in both the Civic and Montfort hosp, as well as office spaces, specialists and MRI machines from provincially funded sources.

but the reason we are paying this tax. This is the reality throughout Ontario.

As for other provinces following suit...I can see it happening where increasing health care costs are burdening already stuggling prov coffers.

 

[PMedMoe]

SMMT,

Thanks for posting the link to the other thread, some interesting reading.
Okay, I don't mind paying the tax IF everyone in Canada paid the same tax and it was per person, not based on salary.  Here's my spouse and I, with no dependants, paying X amount of dollars on our salaries and here's Pte Bloggins, brand new to the military, with a stay-at-home spouse and four kids paying less and he uses the medical service more? Yep. sounds like the government to me.

 

[x-zipperhead]

It's just politics.  The Ontario government doesn't want to raise taxes so they levy a Health Care Premium.  So now that it is broken down and you can see that separate portion, it just doesn't seem right, I know.  In reality if they had just raised their tax rate to cover the shortfalls in healthcare the optics would be different.

.....health taxes are only paid by people living in certain provinces.  As I said, I didn't choose to live here, this is where the military put me.  How is that just?

Move to NS or another similarly heavily taxed province, then.  The military sent me here and like you I didn't have a choice.  Is it just that I pay $2800 more in provincial taxes than a military member that lives in Ontario? (Pet was my last posting so I am painfully familar with Ontario's rate vs. NS)   NS isn't clever enough to introduce a "premium" , instead we have a tax rate (boot to the nuts) that covers the expense of their healthcare.  As a military member who uses the CF Health Services system, should I then have the Healthcare portion of my provincial income taxes identified and rebated back to me because I don't use them?  not IMO. 

Don't get me wrong I sympathize with you.  I just don't agree with your reasoning.

By the way how much is this premium?

 

[Armymedic]

I believe its $1000 per person/yr

right out of 'er. I remembered the max rate.

 

[x-zipperhead]

Wow that's more of a boot than I thought.  So $4000 for a family of 4? No family rates or anything?  I guess you are taxed more heavily than NS when it all comes out in the end. 

 

[PMedMoe]

Here's a link to taxtips.ca

http://www.taxtips.ca/ontax.htm

Scroll about 1/2 way down the page to Ontario Health Premium.  It's based on salary, the more you make, the more you pay.  Go figure. 

 

[gaspasser]

I believe its $1000 per person/yr

I checked the site and I only paid about $450 last year for my family.  double check yours there SMMT, I think you're either incorrect or paid way too much.

 

[x-zipperhead]

So, for my income ( and your's according to your profile)  it would be $600.  My taxes icreased $2800 a year moving from ON to NS, so I would be $2200 better off in ON it would seem.  The way I understand it, it is payable by each taxpayer so you are not paying $600 for each of those "precious little mouths to feed" ;D should you have kids.  Am I wrong in this assumption?

Edit: Looking at BYT Driver's post I would say I am correct in that assumption(?)

 

[PMedMoe]

No, you've got it, it's only paid by salary so I guess you're getting a deal if you have a lot of kids.

 

[PMedMoe]

Any health care administrators tracking this?

It still seems like the Ontario government is getting money for nothing.
If I understand the process right, even when a military member does use civilian health care services, the cost of that service is billed to DND, no?
if St Michael's premise was correct, then all provinces would be following Ontario's suit.

I was posted to Ontario for a little over a year, 2004-2005, no dependants, and although it wasn't a lot, paying this health care premium sucks.
And I don't see it as whining by drawing attention to what is happening, it is sorting something out that isn't right. If you want to let this one go, what else are you willing to write off?

Thanks, Petard.  I emailed SCONDVA.  I wonder if I would get a response from the CF Ombudsman?

 

[gaspasser]

Thanks, I stand corrected.  It probably was $600.  When we moved from NS to ON, we did make a few bucks, so the ON gov taking away is only normal. 

 

[x-zipperhead]

No, you've got it, it's only paid by salary so I guess you're getting a deal if you have a lot of kids.

Well I say count your blessings you are in ON (tax-wise) it's a real deal.  I think you pay the lowest taxes in the country ( BC is very close).  We are all being taxed for a provincial health care system wherever we are posted.  If you weren't then you would be getting a free ride courtesy of every Canadian federal taxpayer, which IMO would be unfair.  You've got to pay for your health services somewhere.

 

[gaspasser]

If you want some unfair taxes check out the ones that PQ nab you for.  Something like extra income tax plus QPP that you'll never collect.  Anyone from Quebec out there to back some of this up?
Cheers.

 

[PMedMoe]

Well I say count your blessings you are in ON (tax-wise) it's a real deal.  I think you pay the lowest taxes in the country ( BC is very close).  We are all being taxed for a provincial health care system wherever we are posted.  If you weren't then you would be getting a free ride courtesy of every Canadian federal taxpayer, which IMO would be unfair.  You've got to pay for your health services somewhere.

Well, I guess it's like the GST then, if it was hidden we wouldn't know about it and we'd have nothing to "whine" about (as someone so aptly put it earlier).
I guess I'll stop using the MIR and just go straight to the civvy hospital.  I wonder when I'll get my OHIP card??  :

 

[gaspasser]

I'd say ON is a bit more open about thier taxes.  NS hides alot in the Horse shyte tax of 15% ON EVERYTHING!  Plus more road tax on gas and HST.  You win some , you lose some.  It all tallies out in the long run.

 

[gaspasser]

By the way, you and your hubby are D.I.N.K.'s, right?  Try doing all this on Cpls pay, single income with teenagers.
There are alot of people who are worse off than you.

(rant off)

 

[x-zipperhead]

Well, I guess it's like the GST then, if it was hidden we wouldn't know about it and we'd have nothing to "whine" about (as someone so aptly put it earlier).
I guess I'll stop using the MIR and just go straight to the civvy hospital.  I wonder when I'll get my OHIP card??  :

Well, actually it is sort of like that.  Look at it this way, the CF (read; every canadian taxpayer) is providing you a free healthcare system.  You pay nothing for it (except the same proportion of your federal income tax as every other canadian - most of whom have no access to it) and in return you pay the appropriate taxes and your share for the province in which you reside. That is exactly what those of us in"non-healthcare premium" paying provices do through our provincial income taxes.  In the end you are paying less than you would be in any of the other provinces even with your premium (tax).

 

[gaspasser]

+1
Plus we are one of the MOST highest paid militaries in the world.  Therefore we are duly compensated for said outrageous taxes et al.  For examaple, the US military does not pay for their dependant medical/dental on base, nor their =PMQ's or food while living in.  BUT, thier pay sort of sucks and is nowhere close to our system. 

Did someone see my can of worms?

 

[Armymedic]

Plus we are one of the MOST highest paid militaries in the world.  Therefore we are duly compensated for said outrageous taxes et al.  For examaple, the US military does not pay for their dependant medical/dental on base, nor their =PMQ's or food while living in.  BUT, thier pay sort of sucks and is nowhere close to our system. 

No I don't.

US Military dependants get health care thru the US Military Tricare. Free
US military housing is...free. If you live out, then you pay for your own home.
Rations though, unless deployed always must be paid for.
The US military pays only slightly less then we get (after exchange).

so whats your point?