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According to a study by Dr. P.J Devereaux, and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, if we switch to for-profit hospitals, over 2,000 more Canadians will die needlessly each year.
What are the drivers behind this agenda that is contrary to the wishes of about 86 percent of Canadians?
The Council Of Canadians (which must surely be on Harper's "enemy list") identifies three drivers:
- Private investors, many based in the U.S, who want to cash in on Canadian healthcare (NAFTA guarantees equal treatment to U.S companies competing against our public system)
- Canadian for-profit providers and insurers
- Cash-starved provincial governments
The alternatives to this ideologically-driven agenda are fairly straightforward.
First, we need a nationalized pharmacare program. Canada is the only OECD country with universal health insurance that does not cover prescription drugs. Canada would save about $10.7 billion per year with a universal public-drug plan.
Second, we need to stop the Comprehensive Economic And Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe. Under this corporate empowerment deal, the price of pharmaceutical drugs will rise by $3 billion annually.
Finally, we need to reinvest in public healthcare. Currently, public healthcare represents about 70 per cent of total healthcare; we need to increase it to 100 per cent. We also need to increase, not decrease, health transfers (CHTs) from the federal government to the provinces.
Unfortunately, the better alternatives will not materialize under the Harper government, but with grassroots pressure damages to our healthcare system might at least be minimized.
Published at Troy Media on Aug. 11, 2013
Published at Canadian Progressive
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