As Ursula and Erin have told you, it doesn't cost anything (at the time of your visit) to go to a medical doctor for an examination. If, however, you are a private business owner and lack the fat insurance deals that a lot of union jobs and larger corps have, the rest of healthcare can cost a LOT of money in Ontario. For last few years, as the government claws back money from the health services, increasingly services which used to be 'free' are now costing money. A NOTE from the doctor can run you from 15-50 bucks. A physical -- 100 bucks. Requested blood work? Sometimes there's a charge. In most GP's offices there is a HUGE document on the wall saying what's "NOT covered" by your government "free" health insurance. It grows larger every month. Since the Liberal government took over Ontario's control recently itearly _ONE_ visit to the chiropractor is now 25-30 bucks. You can't see a dentist for 5 minutes for less than 75 and if you want work done, haaaaaaaaa, you're looking at at LEAST a 1000 bucks per tooth. Any kind of specialist treatment is now charged extra. Optometrists used to be covered I think for 1 visit per year, but now it's 1 visit every 2 years. Glasses cost anywhere from 100-300 depending on prescription. And DRUGS, regardless of what you think and hear, ARE expensive if you don't have a drug plan -- which many people don't. They are so expensive that I NEVER buy them. I can't afford 100 dollars for a prescription that makes an annnoying ailment into a mildly annoying ailment, ironically, because the government just took another 600 bucks out my paycheque this year to cover all this amazing service. Must be those gender re-assignment surgeries that we are paying for. If you are dying, the service is great, if you are just sick, mmm. not so much. complaining about high taxes, luckily, rarely sick, paul ########## Paul Stone pas@xxxxxxxx Kingsville, ON, Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html