Universal health care is undoubtedly Canadian; we, as a country, pride ourselves on providing access to health care at an affordable rate. In our publicly funded health care system, the emergence of private-for-profit clinics have forced Canadians to re-think what is most important to us. Is health care something that everyone has a right to, or a privilege for those who can afford it?
Private for-profit clinics run under the basis that those who can pay extra out of their own pocket can avoid the long wait times. Concerned citizens say that it is unconstitutional that these clinics are allowed to charge their patients extra for use of the private facilities, and still bill the publicly funds for the same procedure. Private clinics keep it no-secret that they change facility fees and defend that it is perfectly legal, but refuse to be subject to government audits. Everyone should have access to health care “in a timely manner” and these clinics claim they are filling a need that has developed from our “flawed” health care system that “prohibits access to private health care and patient choice in primary health care .”
The presence of private and for-profit clinics can improve the back-log and make the health care system more efficient, but at what price?
Read more in this article from The Tyree – “Supreme Court Showdown for Private Clinics”