The BC Health Coalition works to ensure that the case for a strong public health care system is front and centre in public discourse. Here are some news stories featuring comment from the BCHC.
Times Colonist, April 22 2018 https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/island-voices-extra-billing-crackdown-long-overdue-1.23275829 Last week, the B.C. government took decisive action on an illegal activity known as “extra-billing,” bucking a years-long trend of ignoring illegal health-care fees charged to patients in B.C.…Read More
Editor: After years of government inaction on wait times for surgeries, British Columbians are starting to see some progress. One year ago, Premier John Horgan announced the province’s surgical strategy to shorten wait times. The strategy includes steps the BC Health Coalition has been calling for, including putting our existing operating rooms to better use, reorganizing wait lists to be more efficient, and investing funding in priority surgeries. …Read More
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the purchase will boost Fraser Health's MRI capacities and reduce wait times for patients. CHERYL CHAN September 25, 2018 The B.C. government is buying two privately owned MRI clinics in the Fraser Valley in a bid to expand capacity and reduce waiting times in the public system. On Monday, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced Fraser Health will purchase Surrey MRI and Fraser Valley MRI Clinic in Abbotsford effective Oct. 1.…Read More
Link to Aldergrove Star Dear Editor, What is the current government action plan to stop unlawful health care billings? We do not need USA type health care.…Read More
Letter to the editor from Campbell River, Courtenay & District Labour Council (Link to the letter here) …Read More
Letter to the editor to Nelson Daily (Link to the letter here) To The Editor: I find it very disgusting that big business continues to manipulate public opinion with there ill gotten fortunes. Newspaper, T.V., social media campaigns, are easy for these mega-rich companies; and used to manipulate the general public. Health Care is particularly vulnerable to uncompassionate corporations who profit immensely on the backs of sick people.…Read More
Jay Chalkman applauds ‘crackdown’ on private clinics and ‘unlawful’ billing. (Link to Langley Advance here) Dear Editor, I support public health care and the B.C. government’s crackdown on private clinics and unlawful private fees in order to protect patients. The B.C. government’s recent announcement about protecting patients and public funds from unlawful billing in private, for-profit clinics is great news and a long-time coming.…Read More
Justine Hunter/The Globe and Mail (link to article) The B.C. government has moved against doctors who engage in illegal extra billing, enacting a law that aims to end queue-jumping by patients who pay to fast-track access to publicly funded medical care.…Read More
Katya Slepian/Columbia Valley Pioneer Practitioners could face fines of up to $20,000 The province is cracking down on medical practitioners doublebilling for services already covered by B.C.'s Medical Services Plan, introducing new fines worth tens of thousands of dollars. On Wednesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said the move brings into force outstanding sections of the 2003 Medicare Protection Amendment Act. Double billing is already illegal, Dix said, just not properly enforced.…Read More
Rick Turner and Edith MacHattie/Vancouver Sun (click HERE for article) B.C. lags behind much of the country when it comes to MRI wait times, with as many as one in 10 patients waiting more than 200 days for a scan. That is why the province's recent action to increase public MRI capacity to cut waiting times is welcome.…Read More