The CBC on INDEPTH: HEALTH CARE
BBC
Medicare refuses to pay for woman's life-saving surgeryOTTAWA -Ralph Klein enjoyed 13 years of dictator-sized government majorities backed by billions of surplus dollars and the most enterprise-minded voters in the country.
2007
Tuesday 21 August 2007 VANCOUVER: NEW TOP PHYSICIAN WANTS STRUCTURAL CHANGE FOR HEALTH CARE
The upcoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says he plans to use the new post to lobby for changes to Canada's health-care system. Dr. Brian Day wants to inject market principles into the financing of taxpayer-funded hospitals and clinics to improve efficiency and to reduce wait times. Critics say his plan has already been tried and failed in Britain. After studying in Britain, Dr. Day took up medical practice in Canada in the 1970's. He founded a private clinic in Vancouver in 1995. The Canadian Medical Association began its annual meeting Monday and was to confirm Dr. Day as its new head.
Tuesday 14 August 2007 World’s Best Medical Care?
.....Michael Moore struck a nerve in his new documentary, “Sicko,” when he extolled the virtues of the government-run health care systems in France, England, Canada and even Cuba while deploring the failures of the largely private insurance system in this country. There is no question that Mr. Moore overstated his case by making foreign systems look almost flawless. But there is a growing body of evidence that, by an array of pertinent yardsticks, the United States is a laggard not a leader in providing good medical care.
Tuesday 14 August 2007
Dr. Google and Dr. Microsoft
By STEVE LOHR
The two leading candidates for Web supremacy are working up their plans to improve the nation’s health care.
In politics, every serious candidate for the White House has a health care plan. So too in business, where the two leading candidates for Web supremacy, Google and Microsoft, are working up their plans to improve the nation’s health care.
What happens to a sick medical system when the government takes over? Watch the trailer for Sick and Sicker and find out. Would you like to be the first to see the full movie when it is released in late July? Sign up for an e-mail alert at sickandsickermovie.com under the "Get Update" button
Wed1299 24 Jan Private clinics and Québec healthcare
It is unfortunate that the Québec health care system which is excellent in quality, lacks adequate access. The failure of the government to provide timely access to the system has led to a small but expanding number of private clinics, which, if left unchecked, will ultimately erode the public system. It is to be hoped that the message will become clear to the government and that steps will be taken to provide us with the accessible, quality medical care that we expect, deserve and pay for. It is indispensable that we learn how to harness ideas and practices from the private system to make the public sector work better (something that the McGill Faculty of Management is addressing). Patient-centered collective bargaining would contribute to an efficient system. There is much to be learned from both the British and Australian systems.
2006
Sunday 03 December 2006 VANCOUVER: FIRST PRIVATE ER OPENS
Canada's first privately-owned emergency clinic opened its doors on Friday, despite a warning by the B.C. government that it faces legal and financial jeopardy for doing so. The Urgent Care Centre employs 24 physicians who work in public emergency wards and contains 10 beds. The clinic's operator, Dr. Mark Godley, says the facility will relieve overcrowding in public emergency rooms. On Thursday, B.C. Health Minister George Abbott said that says the cabinet had met in an extraordinary session to pass a law that empowers the Medical Services Commission to investigate its billing practices. The investigation will enable the government to seek in injunction in the event that the clinic is in violation of federal or provincial law by charging fees for service already underwritten by Medicare. Mr. Abbott says the process could days days or weeks, adding that the clinic incurs serious legal risk if it opens on Friday.
Tuesday Sep 5, 2006 The CMA's new president
With the news that Dr Brian Day has been elected to head the Canadian Medical Association , albeit not until August 2007, there is increasing concern about the direction of the organization in the debate over private health care.
If Wednesday Night is a representative sample, the consensus is moving from nowhere, no-how to an embrace of a mixed public-private medical care system. (Scribe: While the enthusiasm appears to revolve around waiting times, great news of mixed systems abroad appears to be unsubstantiated, no mention by the enthusiasts is made of the cost of catastrophic illness versus that of annual checkups or Canadian health statistics versus those of countries presented as models. Your scribe dates back to pre-Medicare days when the mixed-care system very much resembled that now proposed and it wasn’t that great. hb)
May 16 2006 Castonguay urges user fee for visits to doctor [$25 + gst?] Castonguay says a user fee is needed to keep the system running, "because the other options would mean in increase in taxation, and the level of taxation for individuals or for corporations in Quebec is already too high."
But Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard dismissed the idea. He said it won't happen here, at least not for now.
Friday Mar 3, 2006 ts Harper touts Quebec reforms
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is encouraging the provinces to follow Quebec's ? and not Alberta's ? proposals for health care reform. Andrew Mills reports.
Thursday Mar 2, 2006 ts Klein makes private health care move
Alberta has launched a major test of medicare rules, with plans to allow private insurance, let patients pay for faster procedures and let doctors work in either the public and for-profit systems.
Experts' free advice for PM
Four leaders in Canadian health policy were asked: If you were Stephen Harper, how would you respond to Klein's so-called Third Way plan for health-care reform?
Klein tosses book at page
EDMONTON—Premier Ralph Klein has apologized for throwing a booklet at a teenaged page in the legislature during a debate yesterday over Alberta's health-care reforms.
 |
2005
Sunday Dec 18, 2005 Montreal Children’s Hospital
Tuesday Dec 6, 2005 ts Layton softens stand on clinics
NDP Leader Jack Layton, who has portrayed himself as the lone champion of public health care, now admits he can't stop the growth of two-tier medicine in Canada, reports Bruce Campion-Smith.
Monday Dec 5, 2005 nyt Health Coverage of Young Widens With States' Aid
By JOHN M. BRODER
Despite rising health care costs, the number of American children without health care coverage has been steadily declining.
Sunday Dec 4, 2005 rci A new poll shows that many Canadian voters aren't opposed to a mix of public and private health care. The poll by the Decima Research firm last month found that one-half of respondents would vote for a party pledged to renewing medicare, yet allowing a mix of public and private services. A majority of Conservative or Bloc Québécois voters favoured that approach, but 46 per cent of Liberals also felt that way. However, 42 per cent of those asked also said they would be more likely to vote for a party which proposed a stronger public system without private services.
Wednesday Sep 28, 2005 OPED: The world according to Marc
Lessons learned from 45 years of insights into Canadian health care [thanks to Dr Alexandra]
September 17, 2005 ts Romanow fears `end of medicare'
The Supreme Court of Canada's 4-3 decision to strike down Quebec's ban on private health insurance could be "the end of medicare as we know it" and a "serious body blow" to the future of Canada, Roy Romanow says.
from Wed 1237 Public/private healthcare and waiting times
Dr.Mark Roper attended a three-day meeting in Ottawa of the CMA Health Council that is due to report on public/private interface by February. The Council looks at the existing variations on public/private healthcare delivery (i.e. private physician delivers services to patient with publicly-funded Medicare card) which, with the Chaouli decision of the Supreme Court, are expanding to include private delivery/private funding. The Council is to examine the interface between these options; secondly, the Council looks at the safety net - public safety net – a limited public fund that will assist (fund) patients to get access to needed care in another place. The private safety net is privately funded and designed to fill the breach when the public one runs out of money. Key to the safety net concept is wait times (another group looks at this subject) – but there is a small group of high-profile diseases that attract all the media attention. One technique to limit the measurement of wait times, is to limit access to family doctors, thus decreasing the number of referrals that might be subject to wait times analysis. The situation is worrisome and the solutions appear diabolical.
Sunday Sep 11, 2005 ts Private sector to fund new mental health centre
The long-awaited redevelopment of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will be bankrolled by the private sector.
Friday Aug 19, 2005 ts Myopic on medicare
Canada`s doctors have proven to be discouragingly myopic in the decision they took at this week`s meetings of the Canadian Medical Association to back a parallel, private health-care system. Their short-sightedness has produced a flawed diagnosis of what ails the system and a misguided treatment plan that is anything but a cure.
Thursday Aug 18, 2005 rci Canadian doctors have given signs of being divided in their opinions about the future of the public health care system. Delegates to the Canadian Medical Association's annual conference voted on several resolutions on Tuesday concerning health care. They voted in favour of a resolution that said medical care should be based upon need not ability to pay. But they voted by a two-thirds margin against a second resolution that called on delegates to denounce a parallel, private health-care system as a solution to the problem of long waiting lists. Several physicians said during debates on the resolutions that more study of the problem of waiting times is needed.
Wednesday Aug 17, 2005 ts Canada`s doctors must lead renewal
As the gatekeepers of Canada`s health-care system, doctors are acutely aware of the problems that first show up in their overcrowded waiting rooms. Every day they must perform triage to help their sickest patients circumvent long wait times to see a specialist, or to find scarce hospital beds for those too ill to wait in line. And they must tell other patients to put up with delays.
Wednesday Aug 17, 2005 rci EDMONTON: PHYSICIANS WEIGH PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE CARE
The Canadian Medical Association on Monday has begun its annual meeting and the chief topic of debate will be the balance between public and private health care. Delegates heard a ringing defence of the country's public health care system from the federal health minister. Ujjal Dosangh says Canadians shouldn't be driven away from the public system by invidious comparisons with other countries or by a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision. The court ruled that it's unconstitutional to prevent Canadians from paying for private health care if the public system cannot deliver timely service. Mr. Dosangh pointed out that Canadians might be reluctant to accept solutions which other countries do. He noted that Norwegians pay higher taxes, the British accept lower health standards and Germans have unequal access. Earlier, the head of the CMA, Dr. Albert Schumacher, said participants may endorse resolutions that would urge federal and provincial governments to explore the expansion of privately-delivered medicine to alleviate the pressure on the public system. He cited as an example the difficulty of the country's 16 medical schools in training enough doctors. Dr. Schumacher says that since it will be hard to convince the federal and provincial governments to increase funding for medical schools, the intervention of the private sector may be a necessity.
Monday Aug 15, 2005 idem The
case for private care - Should the Supreme Court have dismissed Quebec's
ban on private medical services?
Was the Supreme court right to
knock down Quebec's ban on private medical and hospital insurance for
services covered by medicare and the ban on private medical services in
private hospitals by physicians who are not participating in medicare?
Débat (en anglais) entre le Dr. J. Edwin Coffey, Senior Fellow à l’IEDM,
et le Dr. Gordon Guyatt, professeur de médecine à la McMaster University,
publié le 19 juillet dans The Medical Post.
Sunday Aug 14, 2005 rci OTTAWA: SHADOW OF PRIVATE INSURANCE FALLING ON PUBLIC HEALTH The head of the Canadian Medical Association, Dr. Albert Schumacher, has advised Canadians to think about getting private health insurance. He called the Canada Health Act a "monolithic dinosaur" carved in stone. The Act ensures that all Canadians have access to government-funded health care. But health-care costs have soared over the past several years, leading to long delays before some health services can be provided. Dr. Schumacher says that one option might be non-profit insurance co-operatives. Canadians could use them to upgrade their current coverage, and to pay for procedures not covered by medicare, he said. Many Canadians oppose greater private health care, saying that it threatens to end government-sponsored aid altogether.
Friday Aug 12, 2005 ts Doctors demand $3B to cut delays
OTTAWA—The federal and provincial governments must intensify their efforts if they`re going to stave off the privatization of Canadian medicare, a coalition of physicians says.
A public opinion shows that millions of Canadian are interested in the idea of subscribing to a system of private health care. The survey by the Decima Research polling firm based its questions on a plan for private health care that a company will start offering in Vancouver in October. Under the plan, members would pay an initiation fee of $1,700 a year and a further cost of $2,300 per year. Five-per cent of respondents answered that they would be very likely and 18 per cent likely to subscribe. Decima extrapolates that to five-million Canadians nationwide.
Aug 6 gaz Doctors approve of two-tier health
Canada's doctors overwhelmingly believe the recent Supreme Court ruling which cleared the way for private health insurance will lead to shorter wait times and better patient care, a new poll has found.
The Canada-wide survey by Ipsos-Reid was commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association and released yesterday.
Monday Jul 18, 2005 nyt Unprepared for a Flu Pandemic
Neither the United States nor international health authorities are prepared to cope with an avian influenza pandemic.
Friday Jul 15, 2005 ts Quebec won`t face suit over hospital waiting lists
OTTAWA—Barely a month after ruling that lengthy hospital waiting lists violate patient rights under Quebec`s Charter of Rights, Canada`s top court has decided not to hear an appeal from breast cancer sufferers in the province who argue they should have received speedier treatment.
July 12, 2005 cbc 
Alberta's Ralph Klein has launched his 'Third Way' healthcare proposal
Albertans who are willing to pay will be able to get upgraded hospital rooms and surgeries such as hip replacements under the province's long-awaited "third way" health-care strategy.
Financial Post, p. FP-21 / Norma Kozhaya, 16 juin 2005J45 million myths: Better Canada's frayed health care system than unbridled U.S. capitalism that leaves millions with no safety net, right? Well, take a closer look
We hear constantly that 45 million Americans have no health insurance, that public health care spending is inadequate and that the U.S. system is characterized by unbridled capitalism. These perceptions, however, are urban myths. Article (en anglais) de Norma Kozhaya, économiste à l'IEDM, publié le 16 juin dans le Financial Post.
Sunday Jul 10, 2005 ts Judgment should proceed, clinics say
OTTAWA—Quebecers and perhaps all Canadians could be seriously harmed if the Supreme Court of Canada delays its judgment striking down a ban on private health insurance in Quebec, says a group of private medical clinics in British Columbia.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005 OTTAWA: Sunday Jul 10, 2005 rci TORONTO: CANADIANS UNAVERSE TO HEALTH-CARE FEES Tuesday Jul 5, 2005 rci The Canadian province of Quebec has asked the Supreme Court of Canada to suspend for 18 months the implementation of a landmark ruling on health care which it handed down on June 9. The high court agreed with the representations of a health-care user and his physician that the patient's rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms have been violated by long waiting times at public health-care facilities. The ruling applies only to Quebec but there has been considerable concern that the ruling will lead to parallel health-care systems in all of the provinces and thus the end of medicare. Quebec's motion to the court says that delay is needed to prevent the harmful effects of such a parallel system. The motion says such a system would inevitably draw medical personnel away from the public system, thus harming the quality of public health care. Quebec and the western province of Ontario are the Canadian provinces where private, for-pay clinics have multiplied the most.
Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 bcma Although written prior to the decision of the Supreme Court, the Editorial from the BC Medical Journal raises some interesting questions: Thursday Jun 23, 2005 Canada's Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says a private health care system would not result in shorter wait lists. He says it is NOT more efficient or less expensive. His statement has been supported by some of Canada's leading health policy experts. Mr Dosanjh was commenting on the Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, which struck down the province of Quebec's ban on private health insurance for services covered under medicare. The ruling could lead to a so-called two-tiered health system, at least in the province of Quebec. That means that those who can afford it would be allowed to pay for quicker private medical services rather than accept the longer waiting time under the publicly-funded health care system. The court ruling is clear for Quebec but not for the rest of Canada.
June 9 The historic decision by the Supreme Court struck down a Quebec prohibition that banned the use of private health insurance and private financing of hospital services to provide medically necessary services. Although the ruling applies only in Quebec, since the prohibition was found to violate Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, it could open the door to similar litigation in other provinces.
CMA moves to reassure patients following 'historic' medicare ruling. President Albert Schumacher commented "This represents a stinging indictment of the failure of governments to respond to the mountains of studies and years of research with real action [regarding wait times]. In essence, the court has agreed with our fundamental position that Canadians have the right to timely access to health services." ]
June 14 ... the head of the Health Council of Canada ... Michael Decter said last week's decision by the Supreme Court of Canada casts new light on the staffing shortage problem his independent advisory agency has highlighted as a key priority to curing medicare's woes.
Cutting pdf NHS waiting times: Identifying strategies for sustainable reductions:
Friday Jun 10, 2005 ts Friday Jun 10, 2005 ts Friday Jun 10, 2005 rci OTTAWA: SUPREME COURT HANDS DOWN MAJOR DECISION ON MEDICARE The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down a Quebec law banning private insurance for services covered under medicare. The high court ruled that the law violates Quebec's Charter of Rights. The ruling paves the way for a so-called two-tiered health-care system, at least in the province of Quebec. That means that those who can afford it, would allowed to pay for quicker private medical services rather than accept the longer waiting times under the publicly-funded health-care system. The ruling is clear for Quebec but not for the rest of Canada. However, the ruling could become a precedent for several provincial governments that are favourable to the expansion of private health care services.
Friday Jun 10, 2005 PROVINCES DIVIDED OVER MEDICARE RULING
Reaction to the high court health-care ruling is mixed. Quebec Premier Jean Charest says he needs more time to review it. But Alberta Premier Ralph Klein says the ruling means that Canadians have the right to spend their own money on health care. Alberta has been the province most in favour of private health care. But in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert says he's disturbed by the possibility that the decision will lead to an American-style system of medicare. In Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty says that his government's Future of Medicare Act is a guarantee of universal, public medicare.
Tuesday May 24, 2005 irppMedicare, Quebec Style, Has Opened the Way for a Lot of Private Clinics and Quebecers Don't Seem Perturbed Wednesday Mar 16, 2005 cn Monday Feb 14, 2005 ts Sunday Feb 13, 2005 gaz Friday Jan 14, 2005 ts Look at medicare for what it is — insurance
Public money won`t fix health care, Klein says
Wednesday Jan 12, 2005 cp Klein proposes 'third way' for health care
First major policy speech since re-election calls for public-private mix
Wednesday Jan 12, 2005 ts Klein: Why we need more private health Friday Dec 10, 2004 nn Oct 17, 2004 HEALTH MINISTERS UPBEAT AFTER ANNUAL MEETING
Canada's federal and provincial health ministers have wrapped up their
annual conference and say they have now begun to work out the details of
their one-year plan to strengthen health care.
Monday Oct 18, 2004 ts Doctor fined for helping patients get cheaper drugs
A Florida doctor licensed to practise in Ontario has pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for issuing prescriptions to U.S. patients, sight unseen, so they could obtain cheaper Canadian drugs over the Internet.
Oct. 17, 2004. ts Drug supply `crisis` feared
New battle lines are being drawn in the cross-border battle over prescription drugs, with federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh assuring Canadians that our drug supply is safe even as a coalition representing 10 million Canadian patients, seniors and pharmacists warns of "a potential crisis" fuelled by price-conscious Americans shopping for their drugs here.
Monday Oct 4, 2004 ts MD deal aims to trim drugs for poor
Doctors and the Ontario government have agreed to try to cut the taxpayer-funded prescription drug costs of the poor and elderly by $200 million over the next four years, the Star has learned.
Montreal, October 13, 2004 IEDM Public drug insurance plans not taking full advantage of new medication, according to the MEI Montreal, September 8, 2004 IEDM Health Funding MEI Friday Aug 20, 2004 cbc GOODALE COOL TO PHARMACARE PLAN Friday Aug 20, 2004 ts What doctor shortage?
There is a lot of talk about the need to boost the training and retention of Canada`s medical workforce. Friday Aug 20, 2004 ts Pharmacare must be part of reforms
Billions of dollars in additional public funding is not the solution
according to the Montreal Economic Institute
Monday Aug 16, 2004 ts Health care a sore point
An increasing number of Canadians is giving the country`s health-care system a failing grade, according to an annual "report card" on health care done for the Canadian Medical Association.
Monday Aug 16, 2004 ts Editorial: Premiers derail medicare debate
Ever since former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow laid out his plan to reform medicare nearly two years ago, he has remained hopeful that Canada`s political leaders would get on with the job. But now a note of worry is sounding in his voice. And with reason.
Monday Aug 16, 2004 ts Health care a sore point
An increasing number of Canadians is giving the country`s health-care system a failing grade, according to an annual "report card" on health care done for the Canadian Medical Association.
Monday Aug 16, 2004 There's another development in Canada's long-standing debate over the funding of the country's health-care system. Prime Minister Paul Martin says the federal government cannot accept a proposal by the country's 13 provincial and territorial premiers. The local leaders last month suggested that the federal government assume the total cost of a national program for pharmaceutical drugs. Mr. Martin says the federal government couldn't afford the cost of such a program. The premiers have acknowledged that they didn't know how much their suggested pharmacare program would cost. Experts have variously estimated the cost of such a program at between $7 billion and $12 billion. Mr. Martin says he's more interested in discussing funding for pharmaceuticals in cases where extremely sick patients risk bankruptcy by having to pay for their own medicine. The premiers made their suggestion in preparation for their meeting on health care with Mr. Martin next month. The federal and provincial governments have been arguing for years about how much each level of government is responding for funding health care. The prime minister is in the last day of his five-day visit to Canada's three northern territories.
Thursday Aug 12, 2004 ts Wednesday Aug 11, 2004 cc Thursday Jul 29, 2004 ts Wednesday Jun 23, 2004 cbc Thursday Jun 3, 2004 cbc Saturday 17 Apr 2004 cbc Saturday 17 Apr 2004 ts Saturday 17 Apr 2004 ts Thursday Apr 8, 2004 hc Saturday 27 Mar 2004 cbc Fri 3/26/04 WINNIPEG: PM AGAIN PROMISES MORE FUNDING FOR HEALTH CARE
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin has reiterated his previous
promises to provide more money to the provinces for health care.
Speaking in Winnipeg, Man., he said he would like to offer the less
wealthy provinces more funding for health through the federal
equalization program. But Mr. Martin says money alone won't solve all
the problems of the health-care system. He added that he's willing to
discuss funding for health care with the provinces this summer, but
would prefer to win an election first. His comment has caused further
speculation Mr. Martin intends to hold a national election in the
spring. He became prime minister after his predecessor, Jean
Chrétien, retired last December.
Saturday 27 Mar 2004 Ottawa open to revising Canada Health Act, source says Friday 12 Mar 2004 cbc on Wednesday-Night.com see also Medical Notes. | Nursing
| MUHC Shriners |
Cancer &YMI
Monday Oct 13, 2003 cbc Monday Oct 13, 2003 cbc Thursday Sep 4, 2003 cbc Thursday Sep 4, 2003 cbc Tuesday Sep 2, 2003 DRUG PRICES
A new public opinion survey suggests a majority of Canadians would be willing to pay the necessary fees to avoid waiting lists for medical procedures in the public health care system. And the poll also suggests Canadian politicians are out of touch with the public's feelings on private health care. But recently, Canada's Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said a private health system would not result in shorter wait lists. His statement has been supported by some of Canada's leading health policy experts. Mr. Dosanjh was commenting on the Supreme Court ruling last month which struck down the province of Quebec's ban on private health insurance for services covered under medicare.The ruling could lead to a so-called two-tiered health system, at least in Quebec. That means that those who can afford it, would be allowed to pay for quicker private medical services rather than accept the longer waiting time under the publicly-funded health care system.
"In the interim the Chaouli case ruling will come down from the Supreme Court and the smart money is currently on the success of the applicants. If that is the case, the Canada Health Act will have to be amended in order to allow Canadians to purchase private medical care in this country and at the same time allow third party co-insurers to sell their product to Canadians for private Canadian health care. If that is the directive from the Supreme Court I can’t see the NDP or the Bloc allowing the Liberal minority to pass amending legislation to the Canada Health Act and the whole thing will likely languish in committee until another government is formed. What a prolonged amendment delay means as far as the legal status of the Act is concerned is a question for constitutional legal experts, but it will be an interesting question to have answered."
The sacred Charter cat is among the holy health care pigeons
June 9th, 2005
Striking at the heart of medicare
The Supreme Court has delivered a hammer-blow to medicare. Technically, yesterday`s 4-3 decision to allow full-scale private health insurance in Quebec affects only one province. But the implications are grave for a medicare scheme that — thanks in large part to years of government cuts and years more of federal inaction — is still badly strained.
Timely health care a basic right, Supreme Court says
OTTAWA—The Supreme Court has handed down a landmark ruling that invalidates Quebec`s ban on private health insurance and delivers a caustic critique of the shortcomings of Canada`s public health system.
IRP cyber-column by James Ferrabee
Stats Can: Cdns using alternative health care
OTTAWA (CP) - More Canadians used alternative health care such as chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists in 2002, says Statistics Canada.
"An estimated 5.4 million people, reported having used some type of alternative or complementary health care in the year before the (2003) survey, confirming a trend toward higher use," the agency said Tuesday. "An estimated 11 per cent of the population aged 12 or older had consulted a chiropractor - the most common form of alternative care."
Private clinics charge 'set-up' fees
Executives insist they're legal; medicare officials say extra payments are forbidden 'user charges'
by
AARON DERFEL
Two private medical clinics in Westmount are charging patients substantial fees for quick access to day surgery and other procedures while its doctors are billing the Quebec medicare board at the same time, a Gazette investigation has uncovered.
The board questions whether this is levying "user charges" on patients - a practice that is illegal under both the Canada Health Act and the law governing medicare in Quebec
Montreal leads the country in offering private health care
Parallel medical services a way to avoid long, sometimes dangerous, wait
AARON DERFEL
Montreal has become the private health-care capital of Canada, offering a wide range of diagnostic, surgical and therapeutic services to those patients willing to pay out of pocket to bypass the public system, a Gazette investigation has found.
A parallel health network for the well-heeled and well-connected has emerged in the city in the past five years amid swelling waiting lists in hospitals for MRI scans, orthopedic procedures, almost every type of day surgery, and a shortage of family doctors. Montreal, in effect, is now the mecca of private health in Canada, attracting patients from as far away as Vancouver Island.
CALGARY - More private health care would be a good thing for his province, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein says.
Canada's health tab: $130B
OTTAWA - Growing expenditures on private care are expected to push Canada's total health care spending to a record $130-billion this year, about $4,000 for every man, woman and child in the country. According to data compiled in the annual report of the Canadian Institute for Health Information it's among the highest national health bills in the world.
The true value of new, patented medication will not be known as long as provincial governments limit their use within the public drug insurance plans, according to Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) research director Valentin Petkantchin.
The true value of new, patented medication will not be known as long as provincial governments limit their use within the public drug insurance plans, according to Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) research director Valentin Petkantchin.
The federal finance minister poured cold water on premiers' hopes for a
pharmacare program, saying the expense would severely restrict funds for
other priorities such as reduced waiting times.
.... So the problem isn't a shortage of physicians, but rather a "licensing bottleneck" as the Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario puts it.
Get your health acts together, premiers urged
It is time for the provincial premiers to tell Canadians where they stand on private, for-profit health care, according to medicare crusader Roy Romanow.
National pharmacare program could bring huge savings, says economist
Medicare cash needs conditions, group says
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont.—Canada`s premiers should allow Ottawa to impose conditions when it comes up with extra health-care funding, says a new coalition of young health professionals.
WAITING FOR HEALTH CARE CAUSES STRESS, WORRY: STATSCAN
Close to 30 per cent of Canadians say they had to wait an unacceptable
length of time to receive care from medical specialists and that caused
them worry, stress and pain, according to a Statistics Canada study
released on Wednesday.
CANADIANS, AMERICANS DIFFER ON HEALTH-CARE WOES
When Canadians can't get the health care they need, they blame time
spent on waiting lists. When the same thing happens to Americans, they
say they can't afford it.
MONTREAL MAN DIES, DIDN'T HAVE HEALTH CARD
Police in Montreal are investigating the death of a man who died after
being turned away at a clinic because he didn't have his health card with him.
Martin seeks partnership on health
Paul Martin is calling for a new partnership between the federal and provincial governments to fix the health-care system and provide more help for Canada`s financially strapped cities.
PM is on right medicare track
Maybe, just maybe, Paul Martin`s Liberal government is starting to get it about medicare.
Some physicians opt for cash only [U.S.]
Less red tape means more freedom DM
Monday 29 Mar 2004 More money for health care
Friday, March 26, 2004 -- For almost half a century, free health care for all has become much more than a social program, it's become a way we define our difference as Canadians. But anyone who has been through the medical system in the last decade knows that sometimes the difference isn't necessarily good. 
PM PROMISES MORE MONEY FOR HEALTH
The Liberal government will put more cash into health care, Prime
Minister Paul Martin said Friday. But exact details will have to wait
until after a special meeting with the premiers this summer.
The Paul Martin government is open to revising the Canada Health Act, the legislative foundation of medicare, to improve its sustainability, says a key federal source involved in charting the future of the health-care system.
..."Of course we believe we can make the system better by addressing issues like wait times. This is precisely why he is looking for a meeting with premiers later this year to discuss the sustainability of the health system." http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=199ce0ca-c7db-4e78-9f19-e8776fc2e731
PM LASHES OUT AGAINST TWO-TIER HEALTH
Prime Minister Paul Martin defended Canada's health system Friday, and
said his government would fight any move to a two-tier health system.
2003
HEALTH-CARE COSTS HIT $120 BILLION IN 2003
Canada will spend more than $120 billion on health care this year, which
is 4.6 per cent more than last year, according to the Canadian Institute
for Health Information.
MANLEY TRIES TO REASSURE PROVINCES ON EXTRA MONEY FOR HEALTH CARE
Federal Finance Minister John Manley told his provincial counterparts
Friday that, while he can't guarantee anything yet, he's still hoping to
make good on a federal commitment to hand over $2 billion in extra
funding for health care.
OTTAWA WILL FUND NATIONAL HEALTH AGENCY
Health Minister Anne McLellan says Ottawa is willing to spend a
"significant" amount of money to create a national public health agency,
similar to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
MENTAL ILLNESS THIRD HIGHEST HEALTH COST
Almost as many Canadians suffer from major depression as suffer from
heart disease and diabetes, suggests a new Statistics Canada survey.
W
A study published by the Canadian Medical Association warns that drug
advertising aimed at consumers will lead to dramatic increases in
costs for the country's publicly-funded medicare system - and to
employee drug plans. The reason is that consumers who are subjected
to advertising tend to ask their doctors for the newest and more
expensive medications. The study, conducted jointly by Canadian and
American researchers, concludes that consumer advertising would drive