Why does health insurance not cover an aviation medical?

[Patrick_Swayze]

I am posting this after reading another post about aviation medical cost. How can one doctor charge you $180 and another will do it for $40? Doctors make a very good salary compared to all entry level pilots so why do they pick on them like this? Also, why does our health care not cover this? I can spend weeks in a hospital for nothing, but when I want to get my Cat 1 stamped so that I can go to work it ends up costing me hundreds? The government will pay me to lay in a hospital bed but it will not cover my medical to go to work? Anyone have any input on this?

[Hotel Tango]

Because it's your choice to get an aviation medical and not necessary for your health.

[Patrick_Swayze]

I understand that, but the government will pay way more than a few hundred dollars for a medical, than they will when someone is on EI

[kevenv]

I understand that, but the government will pay way more than a few hundred dollars for a medical, than they will when someone is on EI

EI is funded by the users not the government. My employer covers my ATC medical.

[Widow]

You should be able to write off the medical as an employment expense, no?

[Rudy]

I'm told it can be covered if you find the right doctor. Your allowed a free annual physical. If you're old enough to need two cat. 1's a year you'd still have to pay for the second one.

[Liquid Charlie]

any medical that is work related is a "3rd" party medical and not covered by health insurance -- according to revenue canada we can not write out medicals off as an expense anywhere else but medical expenses which has to be a good percentage of your salary before it matters. It's the same with sick notes -- doctors are supposed to charge a fee for those too --

[Ogee]

The cost of any medical necessary to earn income is tax deductable against that income. If your medical costs $150 and you are in the 30% tax bracket, you essentially get 50 bucks of that back, for a net medical cost of $100.

[LegoMan]

your employer should be covering the cost

[stopsquawk]

If your employer doesn't pay it, claim it on your income tax. But don't call it a medical. I call it "Licensing Fees". It isn't a medical expense as far as I'm concerned, because I'm not sick or in need of treatment. The TC fees are in the same category on my return.

[Driving Rain]

I needed two implants because of cataracts. There was an 18 month waiting list if your on OHIP in the NWO area where I used to live. Thanks to Canada's two tier medical system, if I was willing to pay I could jump the line and get them done right away. I chose option two.
The cost could be a medical expense. ... I thought.
Come tax time the medical expense deduction wouldn't cover the $3000 fee. So I figured it should be an employment expense.
I called the nice folks at Ream it out Canada and explained to the nice man that I wanted to make this deduction and here was my line of thinking.
With an 18 month waiting period to let OHIP do it for free (well not for free but you know) I would lose my medical and therefore my licence to fly and therefore my job and therfore would go on EI and my benefis would run out and therefore welfare. Then after I got my sight back write exams do fright tests.. It shouldn't take more than a year and a half after the 18 month lay off. Then I could find a job again.
He told me I had a very compelling arguement but I could go pound salt. He politely told me if I did file the claim they Ream it Out Canada would spare no stone or expense ruining my life forever.
Well forever is a very long time, ask Cat Driver. That's how long he's been around. He knows how the Gumitup of Canada plays ball. They ram the bat up your ass that's how.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Well forever is a very long time, ask Cat Driver. That's how long he's been around. He knows how the Gumitup of Canada plays ball. They ram the bat up your ass that's how.

D.R. they are collectively as stupid as they are powerful.

Some years ago I was met by two of their finest coming back from an overseas adventure.

Obviously a good Canadian must have turned me in because how else would they have known I was coming back from abroad.

Anyhow the conversation was rather brief, they advised me they had reason to believe I was working outside of Canada and not declaring my earnings....I asked for ID which they produced.

I asked them if they were Tax Lawyers to which they answered yes.

I said then you are educated enough to understand go fu.k yourself.

The man said..you can't talk that way in front of a lady.

I said she is not a lady she is just another Tax collecting scum like you so go fu.k yourself.

Anyhow they hounded me for about three years with the same results....go fu.k yourself.

Haven't heard from them in a long while, I kind of miss them.

[Rockie]

So you were a Canadian resident working outside of Canada and not declaring the income in accordance with Canadian Law as you are obligated to do. When you were caught you cleverly talked your way out of it by repeatedly telling them to F*** off. I imagine your interviews with Transport Canada went much the same way which would explain your warm relationship with them. You're lucky you're not in jail.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Rockie:

I know it is hard for you to not be a irritating prick, but has it ever occurred to that you are making assumptions that you can not show proof of?

If you have evidence of my being in non compliance of the tax laws please produce same, because the taxation people would love to hear about it.

As to this:

I imagine your interviews with Transport Canada went much the same way which would explain your warm relationship with them.

Once again you are making statements based on the way an irritating prick thinks, you wouldn't by any chance be working for TC would you, because if so lets hear what it was I did to have a less than warm relationship with them.

You're lucky you're not in jail.

At least the people I would be stuck with would be preferable to someone like you, however, no I'm not in jail Rockie so that pretty well takes care of your assumptions that I belong there.

**************************************************************

By the way how did you like my first contribution to Todays Pilot Rockie?

[Rockie]

Didn't read it although I would like to. I think you have much to offer given your experience, but it gets lost in the noise from the Catdriver fan club of which you are the founder and most avidly vocal member. There's another . with the same problem. I can't read anything by . Yeager either for the same reason.

[Hedley]

I can't read anything by . Yeager

Would it help you if his books had pictures in them?

Or does he use words which are too long, and sentences
which are too complicated?

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Rockie, it is simple.

Rather than be an annoying critic why not put your talents to work and form a " Rockie Fan Club "

That would give the troops two choices.

I can't read anything by . Yeager either for the same reason.

You must really be a closet admirer of me then Rockie because you never miss a word I write here.

The good thing Rockie is it might make you a better man so keep reading..

[Rockie]

I'm afraid there just aren't enough hours in the day to read all of the self-aggrandizing crap you emit on this forum let alone other publications.

[Rockie]

Aggrandizing Hedley..look it up.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I'm ever so pleased that you feel that way Rockie, it really makes my day to see you so upset by what I post.

Hopefully as time passes you may learn something from reading my posts.

Little simple things like how to examine these issues and using logic come to a logical conclusion.

So hang in Rockie and keep reading my stuff, hopefully one day you will PM me and say " . finally I am beginning to see the light.....there is a faint glimmer of what looks to be light on the horizon of my mind now "

We will work together from there.

[Rockie]

Well don't leave the lights on for me Reverend Jim. Cults aren't really my thing.