Read this, Dr. Colin McMillan!

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN, MP

************************* CMA wrong in call for more private healthcare, Martin says

SAULT STE. MARIE – Sault MP Tony Martin is concerned with statements made by outgoing president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Colin McMillan, calling for a greater role for the private sector in the Canadian health care system as a way to shrink wait times and retain doctors.

"These are short-sighted solutions that will actually put doctors in conflict between two systems and patients in longer line ups," Martin said.

"It is better that we invest in strengthening the public system. There are a range of options here to invest in team-based care, queue management, disease management and prevention, electronic health records and keeping Canadians healthy."

NDP Health Critic Penny Priddy (Surrey North) said the CMA’s report itself contains one of the key clues as to how the public health system can be rendered more efficient and more affordable: by tackling the high cost of prescription drugs, the fastest-rising cost driver in the health system.

The CMA report reveals that prescription drugs as a proportion of total health spending have doubled since 1986 and laments that “little collective action has taken place” since first ministers committed to having national catastrophic drug coverage in 2004.

In May 2007, the NDP launched a national campaign for lower prescription drug costs, decrying the inadequate patchwork of coverage across the country.

One in five Canadians is underinsured for high drug costs and 3.5 million are without any prescription drug coverage at all.

“It is more evidence that confirms what too many everyday Canadians have known for too long: drug costs are too high and not dealing with it properly is stretching the public medicare that we all cherish,” said Priddy. “The lack of political leadership is staggering. An elderly woman shouldn’t have to make a choice between paying the rent on time and getting her medications for the month.”

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