More questionable judgment: Tories put private interests first
Private health care? "Let’s not go there"

In mid-September, John Tory continued to put private interests ahead of public services with his questionable scheme for private clinics. “John Tory is continuing his campaign to put private interests ahead of the public interest,” said Health Minister George Smitherman. “Whether it’s education or healthcare, Conservatives are threatening our public services.”

Tory’s questionable private clinic scheme would exclude those who need help the most. “You wind up paying more for private corporations that cherry pick the easy cases and rack up big profits,” said Smitherman.

The Conservative private health care scheme comes on the heels of Frank Klees, a senior candidate, calling for “Klees fees,” a charge every time you see a doctor or visit an ER. “At every turn Conservatives favour private, for profit health care. Only the McGuinty Liberals will stand up for and champion public health care,” said Smitherman.

Here’s what the experts say about private clinics:

• “For-profit clinics…’cherry pick’ patients who are healthier, younger or have conditions that are cheaper to treat, while leaving more complicated cases to a public system with fewer health-care professionals.”
  Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO), Press Release, August 1, 2007
• “The catch is this: The average patient at (private clinics) is 30 per cent less complex to treat than the average hospital patient. This means our most vulnerable patients waiting for hip and knee replacements, including the frail elderly, would likely not make the cut. This is just one of the ways for-profit corporations can ensure a higher profit margin.”
  Dr. Danielle Martin, Chair, Canadian Doctors for Medicare, Toronto Star, March 30, 2007
• “It would be very unwise for Ontario to head in the direction of for-profit surgical clinics and hospitals. Research consistently shows higher risk-adjusted death rates and higher costs for care in for-profit versus not-for-profit facilities. The last thing we should do is make the situation worse by introducing private clinics.”
  Dr. PJ Devereaux, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University. Press Release, March 16, 2007