While Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial premiers met in Winnipeg this week, health coalitions, unions and allies rallied for provinces to reign in health care privatization. In the past, premiers have pointed fingers at the federal government for not providing enough funding for public healthcare, but activists are now calling on provinces and territories to take accountability, specifically around unlawful extra-billing.
“The provinces have got a bunch of money from the federal government after their meeting on February 7 and the subsequent federal budget. They did not get as much as they wanted, but now they’re in the process of working out bilateral deals between the provinces and the federal government for additional money,” said Steven Staples, National Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Canadian Health Coalition. “Our concern is that all this additional money plus what provinces already spend might go to greater use and reliance upon private for-profit providers at the expense of public health care.”
Greater reliance on private or for-profit providers not only creates a two-tiered health care system, it also could harm the amount of funding provinces receive for health care.
Perhaps, a pathway towards stronger public health care funding involves provinces cracking down on unlawful extra-billing in order to avoid federal sanctions.
What is extra-billing?
Extra-billing is when patients are charged for medically necessary services that should be covered under provincial health plans. This type of upselling of patients is prohibited under the Canada Health Act.
When provinces or territories are found to not comply with the rule against extra-billing, an equivalent amount is withheld from the Canadian Health Transfer. This year’s Canada Health Act report showed that Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and B.C. all faced health transfer deductions for extra-billing practices.
“It is a widespread practice and it is leaving Canadians vulnerable,” Staples said.
Staples said that provinces must utilize the many tools in their arsenal to fight the upselling of patients who need care.
“[Health transfer deductions] is the only tool the federal government has,” Staples said. “That doesn’t mean that provinces can’t take action as well.”
Staples pointed to B.C. as an example for how to handle rampant extra-billing among private health care centres. This year, B.C. took Telus Health’s LifePlus program and Harrison Health to court for charging annual fees for primary health care.
The dangers of privatization
Aside from cracking down on extra-billing, the rally in Winnipeg also called on premiers to put Canada Health Transfer money towards public health care, support public health care workers and deliver a Pharmacare plan sooner rather than later.
Canada’s public healthcare system is built on providing barrier-free access to necessary services. However, expanding privatizations means that access to healthcare will be determined by ability to pay, not need.
Barriers to access can have devastating effects. rabble contributor Doreen Nicoll outlined how undocumented workers, refugees, visitors and students were affected when their access to public healthcare was cut off in April.
Nicoll wrote that when people lost access to health care, it resulted in unnecessary deaths.
“We want to make sure that we have some positive concrete things that the provinces should be doing instead of this privatization,” Staples explained. “We’re very concerned that the debate about health care has not really focused on the dangers posed by increased privatization. We really wanted to put this on the agenda. Certainly, we want this in front of the premiers, but we want it in front of Canadians, broadly, that this is a real danger.”
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
