Advocates hope to draw attention to concerns surrounding Bill 60.
The Waterloo Region Health Coalition held a virtual meeting on the topic Tuesday evening Your health lawallowing private clinics in Ontario to perform more OHIP-covered surgeries.
Speakers at the meeting called the bill “[Doug] Ford’s Attack on Public Health” and called on the government to prevent private, for-profit services and clinics.
“What makes the Ontario government’s policy direction particularly puzzling and concerning is that Ontario actually does very well by Canadian standards when it comes to wait times for priority procedures,” said Andrew Longhurst of the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. “This is partly because a for-profit surgical sector is not allowed to destabilize public hospital staff.”
Bill 60 was first introduced in February by Health Minister Sylvia Jones, who argued it was necessary to reduce the province’s large surgical backlog.
“People shouldn’t have to wait months for diagnosis and, if necessary, surgery,” Jones said Feb. 21.
The legislation was immediately met with backlash from advocates and experts concerned about oversight, staffing and upselling.
The province’s official opposition has repeatedly said the plan will result in a two-tier system that will cause some patients to “jump to the front of the line.”
With files from CTV Toronto
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