Canadian Supreme Court Ruling Strikes Down Healthcare Restrictions

June 10, 2005

In what could be a landmark decision, Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that a patient awaiting a hip replacement operation in Quebec is entitled to obtain private health insurance to help defray the cost. Such coverage has been barred under Canada’s public healthcare system.

The ruling, which applies only to the Province of Quebec, could eventually establish a precedent for the entire country, and open the way for private carriers to substantially increase their participation in the healthcare market.

Under the Canadian system each Province is responsible for providing public medical care, and the ruling therefore applies only to Quebec. But other provinces, notably those in the West that are generally more conservative, have indicated they will press for nationwide application of the decision.

Although proponents of public healthcare have praised Canada’s system elsewhere, notably in the U.S., many doctors and their patients, complaining of long delays in the public system, have been campaigning for the introduction of a private healthcare option in Canada.

In many cases the current regulations bar doctors from attending to private patients in public hospitals and private insurance has been barred from paying for services covered by the publicly funded system.

Part of the ruling, as reported by the AP, indicated: “The evidence in this case shows that delays in the public health-care system are widespread, and that, in some serious cases, patients die as a result of waiting lists for public health care.” It also found that the denial of the private health care option could result in “physical and psychological suffering.”

Topics Legislation Canada

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

Latest Comments

  • June 13, 2005 at 1:01 am
    Canuck says:
    I've lived under both systems & can tell you the waste in the U.S. system is appalling. Duplication of services is rampant. Quality of care is no better & good luck if you don... read more
  • June 11, 2005 at 9:22 am
    TL says:
    Finally a judge with some mass between his ears that can clearly see that a society paying 50% of their income to the gov't to take care of them is plain nutty and is not work... read more
  • June 11, 2005 at 8:26 am
    tracey collins says:
    This ruling was made in Quebec by the Supreme Court of CANADA because someone with a broken hip could NOT access healthcare for 1 year. These arguements were presented in Albe... read more

Add a CommentSee All Comments (6)Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

More News
More News Features