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News Release
Ontario Medical Association's
advocacy of privatization betrays Ontario
June 12, 1995
The MRG issued the following media release on June 12
The Ontario Medical Association, in a report endorsed by the OMA
Council, has introduced another threat to universal health care.
Those who can pay will receive better care. The OMA would open the
door to private insurance for publicly insured services, and would
introduce user fees.
The OMA policies would end the health care system as we have known
it. This OMA policy stands in explicit contradiction to the Canada
Health Act, the federal legislation that enshrines the principle
of universal health care. Instead, it represents a dramatic suggestion
that we "Americanize" our system. The results of this
move would be a health care system in which financial burdens could
accompany the suffering of serious illness; the well-off would receive
better care than the poor. User fees will penalize the sick and
the poor and place financial barriers to access in the way of those
who most need health care. Research on user fees has shown that
costs would rise, and efficiency would fall. The only beneficiaries
would be certain physicians, whose income would increase.
Unfortunately, this appears to be the policy's prime motivation.
The OMA's position contradicts not only federal legislation, but
both the interests and the overwhelming opinion of Ontario citizens.
Not all physicians agree with the OMA's new policy. The Medical
Reform Group, an organization of physicians dedicated to the preservation
of universal, high-quality medical care, sees the OMA position as
a betrayal of public trust. The OMA's willingness to take this position
highlights the severe jeopardy in which we find the principles of
universal health care. Only strong opposition to further health
care cuts, and to the introduction of user fees, will save Canada's
most valued social institution.
The OMA's policy paper is not about reform. It is about the protection
and supplementation of certain physicians' incomes at the expense
of the Canada Health Act, and the health of Ontario citizens. The
Medical Reform Group believes that the OMA has the diagnosis, and
the prescription, all wrong.
Subject Headings: Abortion
Rights – Community
Health – Community
Health Centres – Drug
Substitution – Epidemiology
– Epidemiology/Community
Medicine – Health
Administration – Health
Care Budgets – Health
Care Cost Containment – Health
Care Costs – Health
Care Delivery – Health
Care Finance & Fund-Raising – Health
Care in Canada – Health
Care in Ontario – Health
Care in the U.K. – Health
Care in the U.S. – Health
Care Myths – Health
Care Reform – Health
Care Resources – Health
Care Services – Health
Care Workers – Health
Clinics – Health
Determinants – Health
Economics – Health
Expenditures – Health
Issues – Health
Policy – Health
Policy/Seniors – Health
Service Organizations – Health/Social
Justice Issues – Health
Statistics – Health/Strategic
Planning – History
– Hospitals
– Labour
Medicine – Medical
Associations – Medical
Costs/Foreign – Medical
Education – Medical
Ethics – Medical
Human Resources – Medical
Personnel – Medical
Research Funding – Medicare
– Medication
Use – Medication
Use/Seniors – NAFTA/Health
– Occupational
Health & Safety – Patients'
Rights – Pharmaceuticals
– Physician
Compensation – Physician
Human Resources – Pro-Choice
Issues – Public
Health – Publications/Health
– Social
Policy – Women's
Health
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