BC to eliminate MSP for kids but premiums increase for many
Posted February 16, 2016 5:00 pm.
Last Updated February 16, 2016 5:37 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The provincial budget features changes to MSP premiums in BC and while it means all kids will be exempt it won’t necessarily mean smaller payments for families.
Couples making more than $51,000 will see a four per cent increase in rates in 2017.
Jordan Bateman with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says the changes are like putting lipstick on a pig.
“I have three kids, you would think that I would be benefiting from this change in MSP but I can tell you that my family will be paying six bucks a month more next year,” says Bateman. “For the vast majority of people, their rates are going to go up no matter how many kids they have. It’s only this small group of single parent families and absolutely they should be helped but the best way to help everyone is roll it into the income tax.”
Premiums will be reduced for many single parents and people earning less than $42,000 a year.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong says for 70,000 single parent families that will translate to more than $800 in savings a year.
Single parents with two kids earning between $36,000 and $44,000 will pay about $1000 less he says.
Seniors and couples with no kids will pay more.
BC is still the only province paying premiums for health care and the province says MSP only covers 14 per cent of growing costs.
Jordan Bateman joined us on the air to talk about the changes here is that interview.
