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| | The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
A constitutional challenge to Ontario health care legislation prohibiting the purchase of private health insurance for medically-necessary healthcare services (dubbed the "Ontario Chaoulli) was announced on September 5th, 2007. It's another call for increased privatization, based on the misinformed notion that an expanded role for private health insurance will remedy wait times in Canada.
Just last month, the outgoing President of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Colin McMillan, put forward Medicare Plus, the CMA's solution for sustaining our health care system. It proposed expanding the role for private insurance and private payment, and allowing physicians to work for the public system and treat private patients too. After facing a stream of backlash in response to their Medicare Plus report from the Canadian Healthcare Association, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Canadian Doctors for Medicare and others, the CMA responded by saying that Medicare Plus should not be read as an endorsement for a two-tier health system, but that it is time to examine the nature of the public versus private health care debate. Indeed it is. Will their recommendations make Medicare better? The evidence says no. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/35154.html accessed today.
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Oct 24, 2007, 09:29 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
Those poor Canadians. Just think if we socialize our system, then where will all the Canadians go for decent healthcare and short wait times. Originally Posted by HM2Viking A constitutional challenge to Ontario health care legislation prohibiting the purchase of private health insurance for medically-necessary healthcare services (dubbed the "Ontario Chaoulli) was announced on September 5th, 2007. It's another call for increased privatization, based on the misinformed notion that an expanded role for private health insurance will remedy wait times in Canada.
Just last month, the outgoing President of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Colin McMillan, put forward Medicare Plus, the CMA's solution for sustaining our health care system. It proposed expanding the role for private insurance and private payment, and allowing physicians to work for the public system and treat private patients too. After facing a stream of backlash in response to their Medicare Plus report from the Canadian Healthcare Association, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Canadian Doctors for Medicare and others, the CMA responded by saying that Medicare Plus should not be read as an endorsement for a two-tier health system, but that it is time to examine the nature of the public versus private health care debate. Indeed it is. Will their recommendations make Medicare better? The evidence says no. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/35154.html accessed today. | | No. 2 |
Oct 25, 2007, 03:04 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
The comment does nothing to advance the discussion. Please see: Though admittedly the Canadian system is underfunded, and extended waits for some elective services may be a problem in some parts of the country, these problems are often exaggerated by its detractors based on unreliable self-reported data. In 1998, fewer than 1 percent of Canadians were on waiting lists, with fewer than 10 percent of these waiting longer than four months (19). Waiting times in the United States, even for the privately insured, are now increasing for checkups as well as for sick visits (20). ... Comprehensive and reliable provincial databases on waiting times show that in recent years, waiting times have decreased while services have increased. For example, coronary bypass surgery increased by 66 percent between 1991 and 1997 in Manitoba, while waiting times were reduced for that procedure and also shortened for five other elective procedures—carotid endarterectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, tonsillectomy, and transurethral resection of the prostate (21). • Although there is a widespread myth that many Canadians seek medical care in the United States, a three-state study reported in 2002 found that this number is very low for either outpatient or hospital care, and largely due to these Canadians needing medical care while traveling in the United States (22). Source: http://pnhp.org/facts/myths_memes.pdf accessed today. See also: Blendon, R. J., et al. Inequities in health care: A five-country survey. Health Aff. (Millwood) 21(3): 182–191, 2002. 16. Dirnfeld, V. The benefits of privatization. CMAJ 155(4): 407–410, 1996. 17. Weber, T., and Ornstein, C. County USC doctors say delays fatal. Los Angeles Times, April 23, 2003. 18. Derlet, R. W. Trends in the use and capacity of California’s emergency departments, 1990–1999. Ann. Emerg. Med. 39: 430, 2002. 19. Tuohy, C., et al. How Does Private Finance Affect Public Health Care Systems? Marshalling the Evidence from OECD Systems. Canadian Health Economics Research Association, Toronto, May 2001. 20. Center for Studying Health System Change. Press release. Washington, D.C., September 5, 2002. 21. Rachlis, M., et al. Revitalizing Medicare: Shared Problems, Public Solutions, p. 25. Tommy Douglas Research Institute, Vancouver, January 2001. 22. Katz, S. J., et al. Phantoms in the snow: Canadians’ use of health care services in the United States. Health Aff. (Millwood) 21(3): 35–41, 2002. 23. Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. A Parallel Private System Would Reduce Waiting Times in the Public System. Mythbusters Series No. 2. Toronto, 2001. | | No. 3 |
Oct 25, 2007, 05:02 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
Does the discussion really need to be adavanced? Everyone knows the Canadian system is horrible. Taxes are through the roof in Canada what more needs to be discussed? Originally Posted by HM2Viking The comment does nothing to advance the discussion. Please see: Though admittedly the Canadian system is underfunded, and extended waits for some elective services may be a problem in some parts of the country, these problems are often exaggerated by its detractors based on unreliable self-reported data. In 1998, fewer than 1 percent of Canadians were on waiting lists, with fewer than 10 percent of these waiting longer than four months (19). Waiting times in the United States, even for the privately insured, are now increasing for checkups as well as for sick visits (20). ... Comprehensive and reliable provincial databases on waiting times show that in recent years, waiting times have decreased while services have increased. For example, coronary bypass surgery increased by 66 percent between 1991 and 1997 in Manitoba, while waiting times were reduced for that procedure and also shortened for five other elective procedures—carotid endarterectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, tonsillectomy, and transurethral resection of the prostate (21). • Although there is a widespread myth that many Canadians seek medical care in the United States, a three-state study reported in 2002 found that this number is very low for either outpatient or hospital care, and largely due to these Canadians needing medical care while traveling in the United States (22). Source: http://pnhp.org/facts/myths_memes.pdf accessed today. See also: Blendon, R. J., et al. Inequities in health care: A five-country survey. Health Aff. (Millwood) 21(3): 182–191, 2002. 16. Dirnfeld, V. The benefits of privatization. CMAJ 155(4): 407–410, 1996. 17. Weber, T., and Ornstein, C. County USC doctors say delays fatal. Los Angeles Times, April 23, 2003. 18. Derlet, R. W. Trends in the use and capacity of California’s emergency departments, 1990–1999. Ann. Emerg. Med. 39: 430, 2002. 19. Tuohy, C., et al. How Does Private Finance Affect Public Health Care Systems? Marshalling the Evidence from OECD Systems. Canadian Health Economics Research Association, Toronto, May 2001. 20. Center for Studying Health System Change. Press release. Washington, D.C., September 5, 2002. 21. Rachlis, M., et al. Revitalizing Medicare: Shared Problems, Public Solutions, p. 25. Tommy Douglas Research Institute, Vancouver, January 2001. 22. Katz, S. J., et al. Phantoms in the snow: Canadians’ use of health care services in the United States. Health Aff. (Millwood) 21(3): 35–41, 2002. 23. Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. A Parallel Private System Would Reduce Waiting Times in the Public System. Mythbusters Series No. 2. Toronto, 2001. | | No. 4 |
Oct 25, 2007, 10:06 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
The data says otherwise about the canadian system......
| | No. 5 |
Oct 26, 2007, 08:05 AM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
Canada Indicator Value
(year)Life expectancy at birth (years) males ? 78.0 (
2005) Life expectancy at birth (years) females ? 83.0
(2005) Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth (years) males ? 70.0 (2002) Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth (years) females ? 74.0 (2002) Infant mortality rate (per 1 000 live births) ? 5.0 (2005) Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births) ? 5 (2000)
Source: http://www.who.int/whosis/database/c...ct_process.cfm#
| | No. 6 |
Oct 26, 2007, 08:07 AM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
United States of America Indicator Value (year)
Life expectancy at birth (years) males ? 75.0
(2005) Life expectancy at birth (years) females ? 80.0
(2005) Infant mortality rate (per 1 000 live births) ? 7.0 (2005)
Source: http://www.who.int/whosis/database/c...ct_process.cfm | | No. 7 |
Oct 26, 2007, 08:10 AM
Updated
Oct 26, 2007 at 08:13 AM by HM2VikingRN
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
The discrepancies are:
LE Male Birth Canada 78 US 75 Advantage Canada
LE Female Birth Canada 83 US 80 Advantage Canada
Infant Mortality Canada 5.0 US 7 Advantage Canada
Somehow I think the US needs to learn some lessons about addresssing health disparities from our neighbors to the north. Making undocumented/unsourced derogatory claims about another countries health system absent referenced data and sources indicates an unwillingness to learn and inquire with an open mind.
| | No. 8 |
Oct 26, 2007, 12:02 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
Let me dump 20 million illegal aliens into the Canadian healthcare system and let's see how well it manages itself. Data doesn't really matter when we are hearing from Canadians directly about how miserable their health system is. Originally Posted by HM2Viking The discrepancies are:
LE Male Birth Canada 78 US 75 Advantage Canada
LE Female Birth Canada 83 US 80 Advantage Canada
Infant Mortality Canada 5.0 US 7 Advantage Canada
Somehow I think the US needs to learn some lessons about addresssing health disparities from our neighbors to the north. Making undocumented/unsourced derogatory claims about another countries health system absent referenced data and sources indicates an unwillingness to learn and inquire with an open mind. | | No. 9 |
Oct 26, 2007, 03:52 PM
Re: The CMA's Plan for Medicare Plus: What does the Evidence Say?
A mind can be like a steel trap "rusted shut."..
Ignoring the population data doesn't make it go away. There are problems in every health care system. Issuing vague indictments that are unsupported by population data is neither productive or useful. The Canadians to their credit are working on reduction of wait times by implementing evidence based practice guidelines.
Frankly, I think that the criticisms of single payer are based on the thinking error of "I want what I want when I want it...."
Objective data should be used be used to improve practices and procedures. That is a lesson from graduate school that should never be forgotten. | | 114 members
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