CAC erm Oma a ays

 

Fig. 2 Billing charges

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 

hould Canadians get health care based on
S their ability to pay, or based on their need?

This is the question that the residents of British
Columbia and the rest of Canada should be concerned
about. With the current public health care system
that was set up by Tommy Douglas, often hailed the
“Father of Medicare,” Canadians are able to go see their
doctor without having to pay out of pocket. Instead,
health care providers are reimbursed by the provincial
government at a negotiated fee-for-service rate.
Although this comes from taxes that the public pays, it

. allows everyone to have access to health care without
any discrimination based on income or ability to pay.

Dr. Brian Day is challenging this system and
is bringing the case to court.
Nicknamed “Dr. Profit” by defenders
of the public health care system,
Dr. Day wants to bring in a two-
tiered health care system of public
and private. He is asking that the
Court remove British Columbia’s
prohibition on user fees, extra billing
charges (charging patients more than the
legal amount), and the ban on duplicative
health insurance, which is the sale of
private health insurance for services already
covered by the public health insurances.

Dr. Day argues that the current public
health care system has long waitlists
that could be bypassed by using private
clinics. He states that private clinics
should be allowed to provide the same
services and set their own fees for
patients to pay out of pocket.

This hybrid health care system
that Dr. Day proposes is a danger
to the public’s ability to receive
health care. Save Medicare states:
“The clinic lawsuit challenges the
single most important feature of
the Canadian model: That health

care be provided according to a
patient’s need and not according
to his or her ability to pay for
the treatment.” If Dr. Day
wins his court case, Canada

wouldfend up with a for-

Fig. 1 Savings Account profit system like the US.

Fig. 3 Insurance companies

Fig. 4 Service rates