Canada’s doctors want healthcare on ballot for 2019
The Canadian Medical Association is a national, voluntary association of physicians and medical learners that advocates on national health matters. Virtually every doctor in the country belongs to the CMA, so it’s noteworthy that they have just released a set of position papers in time for voters to raise issues with their elected representatives and other candidates before Election Day October 21.
Here’s a summary of what our doctors think is important:
1. Access to Care – 52% of Canadians told the CMA survey that the government was doing a poor job of ensuring timely access to care and the medications patients need. In addition, 41% of doctors say the resource-strapped health system is emotionally exhausting them or making it difficult for them to care for their patients. The CMA confirms what we in the Townships already know: access to acre is not equitable, especially among vulnerable populations and rural communities. CMA wants a $1 billion Primary Healthcare Transition Fund that would focus on primary care, medical training positions and fixing the Student Loan Program that decimates the budgets of many new graduates.
2. Climate Change and Health – From wildfires or heat waves to new infectious diseases, Canada’s doctors are already treating the health effects of climate change. The CMA wants the federal government to invest in adapting the health system and public health capacity to address these growing impacts.
3. Pharmacare – Canada is the only country in the world with universal health care and no coverage for prescription medication. Seven out of ten doctors who ask their patients about drug coverage suggest that coverage is a barrier for many people. We spend more than $6 billion out-of-pocket for prescription drugs, yet 46% of doctors say that their patients without drug coverage don’t fill prescriptions. CMA wants the implementation of National Pharmacare.
4. Seniors’ Care – The fact is that our healthcare system was not designed to meet the needs of our aging population and neither is the way it’s funded. Provinces and territories aren’t getting enough federal support to provide the range of services seniors need. Without any new measures, the federal share of health spending will fall below 20% within 5 years. Current federal programs don’t adequately support seniors and caregivers who face high out-ofpocket health expenses that will continue to grow as the population ages. CMA suggests a Seniors’ Care Benefit Program, like the Child Care Benefit Program, and a demographic top-up to the Canada Health Transfer, making it possible to build better community care models.
5. Virtual Care – Digital innovations have ben widely adopted and improve many aspects of our daily lives. One exception is our publicly funded healthcare system, a model that has not significantly evolved in decades. The CMA is calling for a national Digital Health Literacy Secretariat to address the country’s “digital divide”. It wants increased funding to assist the connectivity of virtual care, ultimately enhancing communication between patients, their doctors and health facilities.
6. Youth Mental Health – According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, an estimated 1.2 million children and youth are affected by mental illness, while less than one in five received appropriate treatment. Emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations for mental health issues among children and youth are rising across Canada. The CMA is calling on federal parties to commit to long-term funding for integrated mental health services for youth.
The CMA has included in their publication lots of tips and questions for you to ask your preferred candidate. Here’s the link to the CMA package:
https://www.cma.ca/election?utm_source=chn&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=elections&utm_content=enews
Make your voice heard!