Federal Election 2008
Prior to the October 2008 federal election, CDM asked the major parties the following questions. Responses were received from the Liberal Party and the NDP.
Questions for the Party Leaders
On October 14 Canadians will vote in a new government that could
profoundly affect the direction of Canadian health care for years to
come. While CDM does not endorse any political party, Canadians need
to know where the major parties stand on our country's most valued
social program.
Here are five questions, CDM asked the party
leaders:
- Patients are increasingly being charged for access to medically necessary services. This violation of the Canada Health Act (CHA) often occurs when patients are asked to pay for an uninsured service as a condition of accessing an insured service. Please outline how your party will monitor and enforce the CHA both in the letter and spirit of the law, which intends that Canadians will not pay at the point of service.
- Given evidence that private care costs more overall than public care, robs scarce health providers from the public system, and often delivers inferior care, how would your party improve the Canadian health care system without resorting to privatization?
- Despite progress in decreasing wait times many patients wait too long for services. This can lead to frustration and despair, causing patients and providers to consider private for profit care as an alternative to the public system. How will you address the remaining problem of wait times for medically necessary procedures?
- Many patients need prescription medications, home care and long term care. Coverage for these medically necessary services is inconsistent across the country. How would your government ensure that all Canadians are able to access these services regardless of their ability to pay?
- Millions of Canadians cannot find a primary care provider. How will you address this serious problem in Canadian health care?
