Letter to the Editor
By
The
Honourable Jim Karygiannis,
Member
of Parliament – Scarborough-Agincourt
Once
again, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is proposing a two-tiered
health care system for Canada. Outgoing President, Dr. Colin
McMillan, set out a plan that would permit Canadian doctors to divide
their time, as they see fit, between public practice and a private
practice for those Canadians with cash or the money to purchase private
health insurance. As the owner of the largest private hospital in
Canada, the new President, Dr. Brian Day, is vocal critic of Canada’s
public health care system.
We
do not appreciate our public, not-for-profit health care system. It
is only when you start to compare our health care system with the health
care system of other countries that we realize that we should build upon
and enhance our public health care system. In the introduction to
his 2002 Report, Roy Romanow wrote “Strong leadership and the
involvement of Canadians is key to preserving a system that is true to our
values and sustainable.” He concluded that Medicare is far from
broken.
In
the last year, two members of my family underwent major orthopaedic
surgery – one surgery in Canada and one surgery in Greece.
In
Canada, a team of orthopaedic specialists gathered in the middle of the
night and the patient was given immediate care. The initial care,
the surgery and the follow-up care was delivered with care and compassion
by dedicated health care personnel. There was no question about my
ability to pay – we carry an OHIP Card.
In
Greece, which has a two-tier health care system, after spending a night in
pain and the payment of 1000 Euros (approximately $1,500.00 Canadian), the
patient underwent the necessary surgery.
Our
health care system needs to be enhanced. The previous Liberal
government dedicated $5.5 billion to the Wait Times Reduction fund to help
provinces reduce the length of time for certain health care procedures.
During
the last election, Stephen Harper promised to implement his “Patient
Wait Times Guarantee”. The concept of the Guarantee was that
patients must be able to receive treatment in a medically acceptable
maximum time. If the treatment was not available in their own area,
patients would be given the option of receiving treatment at another
hospital or clinic, even outside of their home province.
Once
elected, Harper, Flaherty and the Conservatives downloaded responsibility
to reduce wait times to the provinces and territories without investing
any new money. This brings to mind a statement by Stephen Harper
“Health care will continue to deteriorate unless Ottawa overhauls the
Canada Health Act to allow private health care delivery and to experiment
with market reforms.”
Canada’s
publicly funded health care system is, once again, under attack. The
battles lines are clear – your health card or your credit card. I
know which side I’m on.
Stephen
Harper, the Conservatives and Drs. McMillan and Day are on the side of
your credit card.
Canadians
must tell the CMA and the Conservative government, loud and clear “Leave
our health care alone.”
We
must make sure that our health care system is enhanced, not butchered.
