Canadian Health Officials: Our Universal Health Care Is 'Sick,' Private Insurance Should Be Welcomed

Supporters of the Health Care Reform in Congress point to Canada as an example of what America should do. Interestingly, opponents of the plan point to Canada too. Only they do it as an example of why the proposed 'reform' won't work. Meanwhile, in a country just north of us, the Canadian Medical Association is calling for more private health insurance because the public plan that covers everyone is imploding.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Fox News

Dr. Anne Doig, the incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association, said her country’s health care system is “sick” and “imploding,” the Canadian Press reported.

“We know there must be change,” Doig said in a recent interview. “We’re all running flat out, we’re all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands.”

Canada’s universal health care system is not giving patients optimal care, Doig added. When her colleagues from across the country gather at the CMA conference in Saskatoon Sunday, they will discuss changes that need to be made, she said.

“We all agree the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,” she said.

Current president of the CMA, Dr. Robert Ouellet, will make a presentation at the conference about his findings when he toured Europe in January, and met with health groups in several countries.

Ouellet has said that “competition should be welcomed, not feared,” meaning private health insurance should have a role in the public health system. (more)