Media Advisory February
28, 2006
New user fees, more
private service delivery coming with McGuinty heath care
plan
Toronto - Results of a recent
public opinion poll show that 76 per cent of Ontarians are
worried about new health service user fees and that they
won’t be able to afford needed medical care.
Ontarians are right to be
concerned: the McGuinty government’s Local Health
Integration Networks (LHINs) scheme will spawn new out of
pocket costs for patients, say four health care unions
critical of the proposed new health care delivery model.
The Ontario Nurses'
Association (ONA), the Service Employees International Union
Local1.on (SEIULocal1.on), the Canadian Union of Public
Employees (CUPE) and the Ontario Public Service Employees
Union (OPSEU) believe the plan will dismantle the public
health system and facilitate increased private delivery of
care, more user fees and increased travel time and expenses
for patients.
In January 2006, OPSEU, and
ONA commissioned a Vector Research poll to find out what
Ontarians knew about LHINs, if they believed it enhanced
local control, and if they were concerned about having to
pay for their future health care. The poll was taken between
January 10 -21.
The McGuinty Liberals are in
a hurry to push the controversial Bill 36 (LHINs
legislation) into law and have given notice they intend to
shutdown debate on the Bill today. Yet the public
consultations on this massive health care reform have been
woefully inadequate, say the unions. They are critical that
the Liberals haven’t been forthright with Ontarians about
how health service delivery will change and how services
will be privatized, rationed and re-distributed over the
vast areas of the new regional networks.
Poll results show 82 per cent
of Ontarians know little or nothing about the LHINs.
The LHINs legislation
outlines the Liberals’ clear intention to merge and transfer
clinical and support services out of public, not-for profit
hospitals and into the “community sector” – including
long-term care homes and new private clinics. The scope of
services covered publicly in hospitals, is more
comprehensive than in “the community”.
Drugs and medical devices are
key areas where new user fees may be introduced as health
services are transferred out of hospitals. Patients could
potentially pay for entire services out of pocket, which is
permitted under the LHINs legislation (section 25.3 of the
Act). And they will incur new travel costs to access health
services that have been moved out of their community and
centralized in one location to cut the government’s health
care costs.
This further delisting of
health services under the LHINs is contrary to what the
Liberals committed to after they delisted eye exams and
physiotherapy in 2005. At that time the health minister
assured Ontarians that the McGuinty government had no more
plans to delist additional health services.
The four unions representing
nearly 200,000 health care and community-based social
service workers vow to continue to oppose the McGuinty
health service re-structuring plan, even if Bill 36 becomes
law. A province-wide multi-media advertising campaign
launched recently by the unions will also continue.
-30-
Sheree Bond, ONA, (416)
964-8833, Ext. 2430;
Stella Yeadon, CUPE 416-578-8774
John Van Beek, SEIU, (416) 282-0649;
David Cox, OPSEU, (416) 788-9197/
