Dr. Day Goes to Court . . . March 2, 2015

Dr. Day Goes to Court . . . March 2, 2015

Postby Oscar » Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:02 pm

Canadian Doctors for MEDICARE February newsletter

[ http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e17 ... 71b26a770d ]

Important updates on the Cambie Trial - We're heading for court - A message from Dr. Monika Dutt

At the end of August, Dr. Brian Day's legal team requested a delay of trial. Along with our allies, we at CDM were hopeful that the delay would lead to a resolution that defended Medicare against for-profit interests.

But last week we learned that a resolution has not been reached, and the trial that threatens to destroy Canadian Medicare will begin this spring. On March 2, Day will re-launch his court challenge, alleging that the Canada Health Act is a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Day began his charter challenge following a provincial audit in 2012, an audit that revealed over 200 cases of extra billing, totaling $491,654 in roughly a thirty day period. The audit also revealed $66,734 of overlapping claims -- where both the patient and the province were billed for the same procedure.

Day and his lawyers argue that this trial is about the “freedom” of Canadians to pay for medically necessary services. Day’s legal team will focus on the right of Canadians to buy medically necessary procedures. This is, in fact, a backdoor strategy to support Day's right to charge above and beyond the provincially regulated fee for medical services. But if successful, Day's charter challenge would do more than give him freedom to raise prices. The challenge also paves the way for US-style, for-profit health care to roll into Canada.

In the coming months, as Day's legal team presents their arguments on why Canadians ought to have the "freedom" to purchase health care services, I ask you to remember the Cambie audit findings. Those findings demonstrate the kind of runaway costs that Brian Day’s billing practices would mean for health care in Canada. When Day’s legal team argues that the Canada Health Act violates our freedoms in Canada, what they really mean is that the Act is curtailing the ability of profiteers like Day to exploit patients and their families for personal profit. We need to use smart management to address the challenges facing our health care system. Allowing for runaway costs isn’t smart management, and it will lead to downloading medical costs to families and increased wait times in the public health care system.

Along with the BC Health Coalition, Canadian Doctors for Medicare have intervener status in the case and will be offering expert testimony during the trial. I'm proud to say that our organization will be on the front line, defending our health care system from Day's attack. We will also be advocating for the B.C. government to determine the full extent of Day’s billing violations and respond accordingly. While Day is threatening the future of health care in Canada, it is important to remember the history of Day's Canada Health Act violations revealed by the 2012 audit. It’s time to send a clear message to private clinics that the Canada Health Act will be upheld and unlawful billing practices will be penalized.

MORE:

[ http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e17 ... 71b26a770d ]

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Were you a patient of a for-profit clinic?

[ http://www.bchealthcoalition.ca/forms/share-your-story ]

The BC Health Coalition is looking for patients of for-profit clinics to share their stories.

If you have been charged a fee for a medically necessary procedure or were offered faster care if you were willing to pay, your doctor may have acted unlawfully. Your story could help people understand how profit-motivated care is bad for patients and for public health care.

For more information on how to get involved, please visit the BCHC website:
[ http://www.bchealthcoalition.ca/forms/share-your-story ]

Our mailing address is:

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Oscar
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