New funding doesn't help health deficit

New funding doesn't help health deficit
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published June 14, 2003

A provincial government announcement that they will increase health-care funding by $132 million this year comes as no surprise to officials in the Fraser Health Authority.

David Plug, spokesperson for the FHA, said the new funding was already taken into account when the region drafted its 2003/04 budget last month, and it still leaves the local health region with a $10-million deficit for this year.

"The announcement is new funding, but we were made aware it was coming," Plug said after the provincial government press release was issued. "It's been factored into our budget already. And we still have a $10-million deficit."

In making the announcement, B.C. Health Services Minister Colin Hansen said the government has increased total health spending in B.C. by $1.4 billion, for a total $10.7 billion. Of that, the province's six health authorities receive $6.1 billion. He also left no doubt that the new funding will not slow down the move towards privatization of the health-care system.

"Our government has made significant reforms to the health-care system, to ensure every dollar is spent efficiently and focused on direct patient care," the minister said in the press release. "This, combined with additional federal dollars, has allowed us to increase resources for health authorities.

"However, we recognize that, despite this increase, the ongoing work of the health authorities to redesign health care must continue, to ensure patients have access to the care they need in the future, when and where they need it."