Toronto, July 23, 2024 – Canadian Doctors for Medicare (CDM) welcomes the Canadian Medical Association (CMA)’s new pro-Medicare position in its proposed update to the 2007 policy document “Managing the Public-Private Interface to Improves Access to Quality Health Care”. In a stark departure from the original, the new draft policy released today argues against charging patients for health care or allowing duplicative private insurance for services covered under Medicare.
“Canadian doctors have spoken: it is clear that private health care is not the solution to the challenges facing our health system,” said Dr. Melanie Bechard, a pediatric emergency physician in Ottawa and Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. “We look forward to working with the Canadian Medical Association and governments to implement several of the recommendations, particularly around supporting primary care and expanding the services covered under Medicare.”
Canadian Doctors for Medicare has been critical of the Canadian Medical Association’s consultations on public and private care in Canada. The CMA launched cross-country townhalls with strong representation from industry and corporations that stood to profit from more private-pay health care. Nonetheless, CDM is pleased with the outcome of the report, and that it aligns with much of the body of academic evidence and legal decisions on this topic, including the outcome of the lengthy Cambie Surgeries Corporation trial on private-pay health care.
The CMA’s findings are the latest to re-enforce a robust evidence-base that warns against private-pay health care. We look forward to working with the CMA, partner organizations, and policymakers to instead advance and implement evidence-based improvements to Canada’s health care system.
“Debate on this has yet again been settled,” said Dr. Danyaal Raza, a Toronto-based family physician and Past Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. “The medical community is united. It is time to get on with the work of making Better Medicare”.
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About Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Canadian Doctors for Medicare is a nationwide, evidence-based nonpartisan member organization dedicated to strengthening and preserving Canada’s publicly-funded health care system. We advocate for innovations in treatment and prevention services that are evidence-based and improve access, quality, equity and sustainability.
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Holcroft
Empower Consulting
for Canadian Doctors for Medicare
[email protected]
416-996-0767
Zareef Ahmad
National Director
Canadian Doctors for Medicare
[email protected]
1-(888)-414-5638