Health Care

Ontario in full support of feds’ national health care data push

Violin08/02/2023 129 Views

Ontario fully supports the federal government’s push to make health-care funding contingent on data reporting, the province said Thursday as it announced a plan to boost access to primary care doctors.

Provincial and territorial premiers are set to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau next week to hash out a deal on the Canada Health Transfer.

The premiers want to see Ottawa cover 35 per cent of health-care costs across the country, up from the current 22 per cent. The prime minister has said the deal will come with strings attached, including sharing health data and outcomes for a national

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5 min read

Health Care

The health care issues to watch for in Biden’s speech

Violin08/02/2023 50 Views

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield noted Biden plans to out bipartisan achievements from his past year in office while promoting his “unity agenda.”

Bedingfield pointed to two bills — one that expanded health care for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances, and another focused on mental health and gun safety — saying their bipartisan passage validated Biden’s “belief that these are areas where politicians in Washington can and should find common ground on behalf of the American people.”

Officials have kept other details close to the vest. Areas to watch closely Tuesday night will be what

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2 min read

Health Care

Fixing health care on Prince Edward Island

Violin07/02/2023 134 Views

On Wednesday, leaders of Prince Edward Island’s health authority were questioned at a government committee meeting.

But they also laid out what’s plaguing health care, as well as what’s needed to improve the industry.

Dr. Michael Gardam, the chief executive officer of Health PEI, said at the meeting that 95 per cent of the problems related to health care on the island are related to staffing.

In an interview with CTV Atlantic, Gardam doubled down on his comments, noting part of the issue with recruiting and retention is “self-inflicted.”

“Our government system has been slow to evolve, to be really

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3 min read

Health Care

Injunction sought against Vancouver’s Harrison Healthcare, claiming contravention of Medicare Protection Act

Violin06/02/2023 61 Views

The commission overseeing British Columbia’s public Medical Services Plan (MSP) has applied for an injunction against Harrison Healthcare for breaching the Medicare Protection Act.

Documents filed by the Medical Services Commission (MSC) in BC Supreme Court claim Harrison Healthcare’s bundled client program fees constitute extra billing in contravention of section 17 of the Act.

According to Harrison Healthcare’s website, its “Premier” program for adults cost $5,500 to join in the first year, dropping to $4,500 per year after. The “Foundations” program for teens and young adults costs $1,600 per year, while the “Harrison Kids” program charges $675 per year per

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3 min read

Health Care

BC Launches New Legal Action over Privatized Health Care

Violin05/02/2023 42 Views

Another company that charges patients an annual fee for access to primary health care is facing legal action from the BC government.

The province’s Medical Services Commission went to the BC Supreme Court Wednesday seeking an injunction against Harrison

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6 min read

Health Care

NY budget would aid physicians’ assistants | News

Violin04/02/2023 62 Views

ALBANY — A turf war between doctors and physician assistants has been ignited at the statehouse as the two sides clash over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed health care budget.

The Medical Society of the State of New York, the lobby organization for doctors, argues the state would be “facilitating silos” in health care by removing restrictions that limit the ability of physician assistants to handle certain procedures without the supervision of a doctor.

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“We are concerned with other proposals (within the Hochul budget) to address care shortages by expanding the services that can be provided by various non-physician

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4 min read

Health Care

More nurses and doctors priority for Ontario under possible federal health deal: Ford

Violin03/02/2023 110 Views

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

Published Friday, January 27, 2023 8:41AM EST

Last Updated Friday, January 27, 2023 2:41PM EST

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Ontario will prioritize hiring more nurses and doctors as well as making investments to help tackle the surgical backlog under a possible new health-care deal with the federal government, Premier Doug Ford said Friday.

Premieres across the country are set to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in February to negotiate changes to the Canada Health Transfer.

The premiers want to see Ottawa cover 35 per cent of

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3 min read

Health Care

Utah governor OK’s bill banning gender-affirming health care

Violin02/02/2023 62 Views

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s Republican governor on Saturday signed bills that ban youth from receiving gender-affirming health care and allow families to receive scholarships to pay for education outside the public school system, both measures that are part of larger nationwide movements.

Gov. Spencer Cox, who had not taken a public position on the transgender care measure, signed it a day after the Legislature sent it to his desk. Utah’s measure prohibits transgender surgery for youth and disallows hormone treatments for minors who have not yet been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The state’s Republican-dominated Legislature prioritized the ban

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4 min read