Imagine you’re in line to get a service you really need, from an outlet that has a monopoly on providing what you need. Ahead of you is a long, long, long line of people, waiting for the exact same service..You’re told your wait could be a couple of days, or a month or so, or even a year, but don’t get out of line or you’ll lose your spot and your wait time will increase..And then along comes a new supplier of the service you’re waiting for, but at a slightly higher price. A number of people in your line say it’s discriminatory, favouring those who can afford to pay more..Meanwhile, you stay in your line, watching as some people up ahead move to the new supplier. Your line is getting shorter and so is your wait time, as is the wait for those who think two suppliers are one too many. They think it, despite the fact they'll get the service they need much quicker and at the price they expected..Welcome to the private health care debate..Data collected by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) show 61% of Canadians say health care is poor or terrible in their community, with much higher rates of concern about bigger issues. They’re more concerned about doctor and staff shortages (87% and 94%, respectively). More concerned about wait times for surgeries and emergencies (92% and 93%, respectively)..“Staffing shortages and experiences of poor care across the country have public health officials and politicians searching for answers to Canada’s health care challenges,” says ARI. “In some cases, this includes opening debate about a topic tantamount to sacrilege in some circles — privatization.”.The ARI survey found half of Canadians reject the idea of more private care, with half less certain. One-in-three say more private care would improve the system, while one-in-five are not sure where they stand in the debate..“A major concern with the addition of private health care is the potential of inequity,” says ARI. “Along the income spectrum, those in the lowest income households are the least likely to believe more private care could improve the health-care system. Still, for all income brackets except those earning more than $200,000 annually, more people believe adding private care will hurt the system more than help.”.Private health care has been addressed recently by provincial premiers. In a recent summit, the Progressive Conservative premiers of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and Ontario floated private care as a solution to long wait times. Ontario Premier Doug Ford went so far as to suggest publicly covering surgeries at private clinics to alleviate long wait lines for certain procedures. Alberta and Saskatchewan have taken similar steps to ease the strain on their health systems..Among Canadians who say care is poor where they live, an average 49% blame both the federal and provincial governments, while an average 37% blame their province more than Ottawa..The American health care system is often looked down upon by Canadians, who think it’s too expensive when compared to the ‘free’ system in Canada (which is not actually free). However, in a parallel poll conducted south of the border, ARI found Americans have a much more positive impression of their health-care system than Canadians do of theirs..In the extremes, four percent of Canadians said their system is very good, with no real issues, while four percent of Americans said their system is very poor, in crisis. In the middle, 75% of Americans said their system is good or very good, compared to 39% of Canadians who said the same..This is not to suggest the American system should be adopted in Canada. Regardless of the cost, the American system is extremely onerous, requires an annual application process and a complicated payment system. But it does say something about the system when the vast majority of Americans say it is good, or very good..Perhaps a hybrid system would work for Canadians. As noted, publicly-funded private facilities already exist, more have been proposed and will likely come to fruition in some or all provinces, with additional revenues coming from users..Are there Canadians willing to pay an extra amount for health care? I believe the answer is yes. Those people would be taken out of the long lines, effectively reducing wait times for everyone. They would also continue to support the health care system through their taxes..Effectively, they would be paying extra to reduce their wait times, while at the same time reducing wait times for those not paying extra..Just as important or perhaps even more important, it would take the stress out of the system, especially for the doctors, nurses and other health care workers..The Canadian health care system is due for a check-up..This is the third of three columns by Myke Thomas, reviewing Angus Reid studies of Canadian health care.
