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Is paying out-of-pocket for medically necessary care allowed? Doctors and nurses say patients need to know now
Wednesday, November 20th, 2024
… Canada has seen a rise of for-profit medical care in which patients pay out-of-pocket to access primary care through private clinics, virtual platforms or nurse practitioners, who are not covered by provincial health plans… the Canada Health Act’s silence regarding non-physician health-care providers creates a loophole “that certain health-care providers and their clinics are taking advantage of, knowing there is no legal consequence or risk of getting shut down.”
Tags: budget, Health, jurisdiction, privatization
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
I’ve dated a billionaire and lived on minimum wage. This is the one, radical solution to the inequalities I’ve seen
Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
Our economic system was born of the false premise that if the wealthy are prioritized in government policies, their wealth will trickle down to the poor. Since 2020, the world’s five richest men have more than doubled their fortunes. Recently, the CBC reported that “income inequality in Canada (had) hit the highest level ever recorded.”… Minimum wage increases have little impact in a system that enables and perpetuates kleptocracy.
Tags: poverty, rights, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Debates | No Comments »
Murray Sinclair sought to build a pathway toward mutual understanding and healing for future generations
Wednesday, November 6th, 2024
In waves of paternalism and government intervention, Indigenous Peoples were moved off their lands, onto reserves or into the cities and, far too often, into the courts and prisons… That “reconciliation” entered the national vocabulary is a testament to his gentle persuasiveness… His vision for a reconciled Canada sought to unite the strengths of Indigenous Nations and Canadian ideals, creating a path toward a future where the best of both worlds could flourish together.
Tags: featured, Indigenous, jurisdiction, participation, rights, standard of living
Posted in Equality History | No Comments »
CMA calls for elimination of sick note requirements by employers
Monday, October 28th, 2024
The association says sick notes burden physicians with unnecessary administrative tasks and detract from patient care. In a new position paper, the CMA calls for legislative changes to restrict the requirement for sick notes and promote alternatives such as self-certification and flexible leave policies… the move aims to ease the administrative burden on health care providers and improve patients’ access to care and the overall efficiency of the health care system.
Tags: economy, Health
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Ontario cannot allow a few for-profit child care owners to run roughshod over the $10-a-day child care plan
Monday, October 28th, 2024
The problem with [the cheque-in-the-mail approach or as they like to put it “fund the families directly” with a government tax credit or voucher] as a child-care plan is it’s one that works for for-profit child care owners — and absolutely nobody else. It doesn’t lower parents’ fees. Its value is almost immediately swallowed up when owners raise their fees (and then raise them again). It doesn’t improve wages for hard-working educators. It doesn’t build new child-care spaces… we must not let a small group of owners put their private interests ahead of those of our children, families and communities.
Tags: child care, featured, ideology, participation, privatization
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | No Comments »
Why it is urgent that Ontario share health data with Ottawa
Sunday, October 27th, 2024
… every province and territory closely guard their residents’ health from the federal public health agency to varying degrees, but what’s done in the name of protecting individual privacy comes at the cost of blinding the Public Health Agency of Canada to a fuller understanding of the health of Canadians… Timely and accurate data inform sound public health policies. Their absence does the opposite, including leaving risk management to the most vulnerable.
Tags: Health, ideology, jurisdiction, mental Health, rights
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
Ontario launches review following Ford criticism of children’s aid societies
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024
… deficits are continuing to rise and the audit will examine the underlying issues and possible solutions… Ontario began an overhaul of the child welfare system four years ago, with a focus on keeping more families together and strengthening prevention and early intervention supports, but the unions representing CAS workers said there is little to show for it… “We need to end the for-profit models in all residential care facilities, and introduce province-wide licensing of group homes, to ensure our services place children at the centre of care,”
Tags: child care, jurisdiction, mental Health, youth
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | 7 Comments »
Canada’s getting national pharmacare. Here’s what it means for you
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024
With the Liberal government’s pharmacare plan enacted earlier this month, the government only needs to sign individual deals with the provinces to realize widespread access to diabetes medication, like insulin, and a broad array of contraceptives… “informal” talks have already been ongoing… Ottawa can sign deals with all provinces by next spring… Ontario’s government, however, is still mulling over the fine print of the program.
Tags: budget, featured, Health, jurisdiction, participation, pharmaceutical
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
6.5 million Canadians lack a family doctor. The solution is already here
Tuesday, October 15th, 2024
In a report released this month, [three of Canada’s senators] suggest the following: accelerate a pathway for the many internationally trained doctors who are currently unable to practise in Canada…. Hundreds of ITPs currently compete for each residency spot available to them, a situation which is clearly untenable… Practice Ready Assessment[s] consist[s] of a 3-month assessment of a doctor’s competency to practise, assessed by licensed doctors in Canada while they see patients, usually in a rural or remote setting.
Tags: Health, immigration, jurisdiction
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »
Foreign doctors won’t solve our family physician crisis. Here’s what might
Monday, October 14th, 2024
Expand and reform medical education… increase capacity and tailor programs to meet current needs, especially in family medicine… Reform selection processes to attract medical students who are committed and suited for specialties in need, particularly family medicine… Embrace community-based training… Incentivize family medicine… Integrate technology… Promote team-based approaches that maximize and effectively integrate the skills of various health professionals, improving patient care and physician satisfaction.
Tags: featured, Health, participation, standard of living
Posted in Health Delivery System | No Comments »