SASKATOON – The federal government should guarantee access to a basic level of health care and then get out of the way, says Reform party leader Preston Manning.
Manning traveled to Saskatoon last week to pitch his party’s proposals for reforming medicare by creating two distinct types of care.
“Core services” would be those judged to be essential to maintaining and improving the health of Canadians. They would be fully financed by federal and provincial governments to a minimum national standard, with guaranteed access regardless of ability to pay.
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However, provinces and individuals would also be allowed to provide “non-core” or extra services, such as cosmetic surgery or fibreglass casts rather than plaster. There would be no federal funding; instead, it would be paid for by the province or through private insurance or user-pay.
Manning did not define core services, saying that should be determined by the medical community, health-care users, taxpayers and the provinces. The Reform party’s approach, he said, is based on the idea that decisions about health care should be made at regional levels.
Anticipating criticism that his proposals violate the basic principle of universal access to health care, Manning said the federal government’s $550 billion accumulated debt requires a new definition that includes the notion of basic services.
“If by universality you mean that the state should pick up 100 percent of the health-care bills for 100 percent of the people 100 percent of the time regardless of availability of resources or ability to pay, you’re crazy,” he said.
