Dateline: 08/16/00
Working on an Action Plan for Health Care Reform
Canada's Health Minister says the federal government and the provinces are getting close to a common approach to health care reform in Canada. In a speech to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Allan Rock expressed confidence that a base has been laid for an agreement on an action plan and new investments by governments when the Premiers meet with the Prime Minister in September. He stressed that he was talking about an action plan rather than further study.
Areas of Consensus for Health Care Reform
Rock said the recent Premiers meeting in Winnipeg showed the two levels of government had reached some consensus on the need for reform in seven key areas:
- supply and distribution of doctors and nurses
- medical equipment and infrastructure
- primary health care services
- information technology
- rising costs of pharmaceuticals
- measuring and reporting on the performance of the health care system
- health promotion and prevention to reduce the pressure on the system.
Arguments Over Health Care Funding
Funding remains a contentious issue. In a letter to the Premiers before their meeting, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien made it clear that additional federal investment in transfers to the provinces must include a commitment to account to Canadians for the expenditures.
The Premiers have agreed amongst themselves that the federal government must boost health care transfers to the provinces significantly. But they don't agree on the amount of influence the federal government should have on how those transfer funds are spent. Quebec's Premier Lucien Bouchard is the most vehement in insisting that federal money should go to the provincial governments with no strings attached. On the other hand, Liberal Premier Brian Tobin of Newfoundland is quoted by Canadian Press as saying it's "silly" to expect the federal government not to want some say in where billions of dollars are spent.
Doctors Plan to Talk to Canadians Directly
Meanwhile, the doctors at the CMA annual meeting in Saskatoon passed a resolution saying doctors will start talking with the public about just what should be covered in a public health care system.
The debate continues.
