Boomers to opt-out of Canadian system

Commentary August 20, 2009 at 08:00 PM
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A bit of news north of the border about their health care system, which only adds to the debate furor in this country. Baby boomers will "systematically and massively" turn to the private sector for health care unless the public system vastly improves, the outgoing head of the Canadian Medical Association warned Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Sun reports the warning from Dr. Robert Ouellet came as members at the CMA's annual meeting voted 85 percent in favor of pressing government to look at market mechanisms — including a role for private enterprise — in delivering publicly-funded health care.

"Refusing to make profound changes to the health-care system is tantamount to accepting its steady deterioration," Ouellet told physicians gathered in Saskatoon.

As Canadians age, long waits at ERs or for procedures such as joint replacements will only worsen, he said, yet "baby boomers … will demand the quality of service to which they feel entitled." If they don't get it, they'll go private, creating "a true, two-tier system."

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