As some provinces roll out plans to allow private clinics a greater role in the health care system, a majority of Canadians are on board, according to a new poll.
The Ipsos poll, commissioned by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), found 52 percent of respondents would like to see increased access to private health care.
Thirty-one percent disagree with offering increased access to private care, and 13 percent did not express an opinion.
Ontario and Quebec have recently announced plans to increase access to private health care using provincial health cards, so the government still pays the bill.
Waitlists
Ontario announced in January it would tackle the surgical waitlist of more than 200,000 patients—particularly for routine procedures such as knee and hip replacements—by partnering with more private clinics. Last month, Quebec began an initiative to build two privately operated, publicly funded “mini hospitals,” one in Quebec City and the other in Montreal….