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On July 30, 2007, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) released a policy statement on Medicare entitled “It’s Still About Access.” This document outlined the CMA’s proposals for the future of Medicare.

The CMA proposes an expansion of Medicare to include some elements of a national pharmacare plan and recognizes the need for a Pan Canadian Health Human Resources strategy. CFNU has been advocating for pharmacare and a Pan Canadian Health Human Resources strategy for a long time now and applauds these proposals. Unfortunately in the same plan, the CMA is calling for a two tier system where doctors can practice both in and out of Medicare and Canadians can purchase private insurance for publicly insured services. The plan also calls for wait time guarantees that provide for a private sector recourse should wait times exceed national standards.

There is a severe global shortage of Health Human Resources. Evidence shows that a parallel private system would siphon off limited nurses, doctors and other health professionals creating longer wait times and decreased access within the public system.*

Our public Health system, including wait times, can be improved without being compromised by a two-tier system that is inefficient and contrary to Canadian values.**

Please write to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to urge him to respect the values and wishes of Canadians by defending our publicly funded and delivered Medicare system and opposing any two-tier healthcare system for Canada.

*Tuohy, C. H., Flood, C., & Stabile, M. (2004). How does private financing affect public health care systems? Marshaling the evidence from OECD nations. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 29(3), 359-396.

**Priest, A., Rachlis, M., & Cohen, M. (2007). Why Wait? Public Solutions to Cure Surgical Waitlists. Vancouver: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and BC Health Coalition.

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