OTTAWA, ON, July 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is releasing its draft policy on managing Canada’s public-private health care balance to support equitable access to quality care. At its heart, this proposal strongly supports a publicly funded health care system where access to medically necessary care is based on patients’ needs and not on their ability to pay. At the same time, it responds to the reality of our current access to care crisis and the many funding and delivery proposals already implemented or being considered across the country.
This draft policy is the result of the CMA’s year-long series of evidence review and consultations with Canadian health-care providers, policy makers and the public to learn more about their experiences with the system and generate potential solutions to the current access to care crisis. In addition to reviewing the literature and completing an environmental scan, more than 10,000 physicians, patients and health care providers weighed in through public town halls, surveys and focused dialogues.
While various viewpoints were expressed on the issues, national consensus emerged that our health care system should not favour those who can afford to pay for services. Equity remains a bedrock value that is shared by all – physicians, patients, and the public. There was acknowledgement that private health providers funded by government are helping to address gaps in certain areas of health care, but also that in some circumstances, this occurs at the expense of the public system. This model of privately delivered but publicly paid health care has been operating in Canada for decades, with an increasing reliance on this approach, as wait times and primary care doctor shortages continue to plague the public system in many jurisdictions.
The CMA draft policy addresses the current reality of private care in Canada by proposing guard rails to safeguard universal access to health care. Proposals to improve access to care via increased private funding or private services must consider their impact on the public system, recognizing the scarcity of health human resources currently available. It is essential that there is evidence to show that any change to the public–private balance will lead to improvements in quality care while reducing health inequities.
The CMA’s draft recommendations are rooted in 7 key principles:
- Quality
- Accountability and transparency
- Comprehensiveness
- Integration
- Clinical autonomy
- Sustainability and affordability
- Professional responsibility
“In our dialogue with thousands of health providers, patients and caregivers, we heard a strong call for solutions that focus on equity, access and quality of care,” say Dr. Joss Reimer and Dr. Kathleen Ross, CMA presidents. “Given that the status quo is simply not an option, our health system must adapt and evolve with a commitment to creating accessible, cost-effective, high-quality, sustainable solutions.”
The CMA will engage in further consultations to refine the recommendations, with the goal of finalizing them in Fall 2024. These policy recommendations will form the basis of CMA’s advocacy to address the current challenges in accessing health care.
The draft policy can be found here.
About the CMA
The Canadian Medical Association leads a national movement with physicians who believe in a better future of health. Our ambition is a sustainable, accessible health system where patients are partners, a culture of medicine that elevates equity, diversity and wellbeing, and supportive communities where everyone has the chance to be healthy. We drive change through advocacy, giving and knowledge sharing – guided by values of collaboration and inclusion.SOURCE Canadian Medical Association
