The Coalition of Family Physicians and Specialists of Ontario (COFPS) is making a public plea for the Ontario government to consider a hybrid healthcare system that would allow those who wish to pay for expanded or faster medical services the ability to do so.
The system would still provide medical services to the public, but COFPS says that a hybrid option would help to free up scarce resources for other patients.
Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia have adopted hybrid healthcare systems, but it is currently illegal in Ontario to purchase private healthcare services, even if a patient is willing to pay for it.
Dr. Douglas Mark, president of the COFPS, says that Ontario’s healthcare system is outdated and unsustainable given our aging population, decreasing number of working Canadians and increasing medical costs.
The COFPS estimates that the number of baby boomers over age 65 will double in the next 25 years, and by 2030, there will be 40 retirees for every 100 working people—up from 21 in 2003, which means a decrease in taxpayer dollars to fund government services such as healthcare.
In addition, as medical technology becomes more innovative, it also becomes more expensive. And because diseases and illnesses are being diagnosed earlier than before, there are more patients being treated. While this is good news, costs must also increase to meet that need.
“Our current healthcare model is simply not structurally or financially equipped for long-term sustainability,” said Mark.
The COFPS points to a 2010 study of healthcare systems by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which found that, despite spending 11% of its GDP on healthcare, Canada ranks poorly on indicators such as quality and accessibility when compared to other OECD countries.
As part of 11 recommendations that were made in the study, the OECD advocated that Canada make private health insurance available to the Canadian public.