MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday June 9, 2006

Quebec’s “balanced approach” on private insurance will unbalance the public health care system

The Quebec government’s decision to table legislation allowing private health insurance to pay for essential, publicly available medical procedures is anything but “balanced,” as Health Minister Philippe Couillard claimed, and will do nothing to reduce wait times, says the Council of Canadians.

“Evidence from around the world proves that where parallel, private health care systems compete for clients, wait times actually go up in the public system because doctors are encouraged to join the private sector,” says Victoria Gibb-Carsley, director of campaigns and communications with the Council. “The real issue a shortage of nurses and doctors, which is a problem that can’t possibly be fixed by splitting the health care system in two.”

Furthermore, Couillard’s second proposal, to use public funds to pay for hip, knee and cataract surgeries in privately owned clinics, will drain the public system of valuable resources.

“Businesses need to maintain profit margins,” explains Guy Caron, health campaigner for the Council. “Treatments offered by for-profit clinics would therefore cost Quebec taxpayers 10 to 15 per cent more than in the public system. Clearly, expanding and improving the non-profit sector would be far more cost-effective than introducing for-profit clinics.”

The Council submitted a brief to the Quebec government demonstrating that effective solutions to reduce wait times can be found in the public sector. And there is no guarantee that private insurance won’t be used extensively. Couillard himself claimed that allowing private insurance to pay for hip, knee and cataract surgery is only the first step toward even greater private involvement in health care delivery.

“This will clearly establish two-tier health care in Quebec where those with the money can jump the line. Meanwhile everyone else will see their wait times go up in a neglected public system,” says Gibb-Carsley.

For more information, contact:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians: (613) 233-4487, ext. 249; 1-800-387-7177, ext. 249; .

Profit is not the cure! Visit www.profitisnotthecure.ca for more information on the Council of Canadians’ health care campaign.