In response to an advisory panel report commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association, CMA president Dr. Jeff Turnbull conceded that when it comes to health care financing, all options should be considered in order to manage the unsustainable growth in health care spending. The report provided 10 recommendations; among them, changing the way that hospital services are financed and allowing greater competition in the delivery of publicly funded medical services. But the most contentious endorsement was related to patient funding specifically the use of user fees.
health care
Août 26, 2011
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Août 14, 2011
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If history is any guide, Ontario voters should not expect meaningful discussion of health policy during the upcoming provincial election campaign. Indeed, none of the party leaders have so far offered any feasible solutions to one of the provinces most pressing challenges - the unsustainable growth of government health care spending.
Juillet 21, 2011
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Economic theory and common sense tell us that financial incentives influence peoples behavior. This is as true for the local barber as it is for doctors. Although some may believe in the romantic fallacy that doctors are altruistic actors, or bound to act in favor of their patients by the Hippocratic Oath, empirical evidence shows us that they too, are influenced by money.
Juin 4, 2011
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It has been one month since the federal election, and discussions about health care reformnever prominent during the electionseem to be even further away from the public spotlight. Nonetheless, some are trying to get their remedies noticed. The usual suspects like the Health Council of Canadamade up of councilors appointed by the federal, provincial, and territorial governmentshave put forward their recommendations for improving Canadas health care system.
Avril 20, 2011
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Government health spending is growing at unsustainable rates, while patients are facing shortages of medical resources and declining access to necessary medical care. The president of the Canadian Medical Association recently called on the federal government to become more involved in the management of provincial health systems in order to solve the serious problems plaguing Medicare. Unfortunately, the CMA president seriously misdiagnosed the cause of the health system's ills.
Avril 4, 2011
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A Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) study recently reported that wait times for access to health care across a few priority treatment areas are improving. According to CIHI, at least 8 out of 10 Canadian patients are receiving priority area procedures
within medically recommended wait times. This score might be acceptable to those who manage the health care system, but patients and taxpayers would be justified in questioning whether it represents success for them.
Mars 15, 2011
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Health care reform has once again become a common dialogue around the water cooler as the 10-year $41 billion funding agreement between the feds and the provinces is set to expire in 2014. The Canadian Medical Association and other key stakeholders expressing their opinions on how health care should be reformed appear to be repeating their tired old status quo story (more money, more plans, and three cheers for Medicare). Canadian politicians and policymakers would be wise to ignore them and take this opportunity to introduce real reform.