Over the past two years, provinces and territories have canceled hundreds of thousands of “optional” surgeries – leaving many Canadians waiting for hip replacements, cataract surgery or cancer treatments, among dozens of other surgeries. The surgeries were canceled as hospitals struggled to raise funds to cope with the overwhelming burden of COVID cases. The healthcare system is facing a major staffing crisis as some employees have resigned or become ill, and has struggled to resume a more normal pace. The federal government announced $ 4 billion in funding to clear the arrears last year. He said he was most affected now because the problem had been exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic Omicron wave. Duclos cited the one-off supplement to Canada Health Transfer – the money Ottawa sends to the provinces each year to cover part of the cost of running the health care system – as a “major investment” that would soon lead to rescheduled surgeries. “This means that the hip replacement your mom or dad was waiting for will stop being postponed,” Duclos said. “For many Canadians, today’s announcement will be a huge relief.” Duclos also signaled that the federal government is willing to permanently increase health care forward. This would respond to an eternal demand from prime ministers, who argue that Ottawa’s share of health care spending is much lower than what it promised to pay when the public health care system was first implemented decades ago. WATCH: Health Minister Outlines Ottawa Strategy for Reducing CBC Power & Politics Pending
Federal authorities announce $ 2 billion to deal with pandemic delays
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos describes the financial support his government is sending to provinces and territories to help clear up health care delays created by the COVID-19 pandemic. 7:51
The prime ministers say they want the federal share of health care costs to rise from 22 percent to 35 percent. Duklos did not say how much more money the provinces could expect to receive, but acknowledged that the government needs to do more to help a system work after years of pandemics and chronic underfunding.
“While today’s announcement is great news, we know a lot more needs to be done,” Duclos said. “We must recognize that if we do not act quickly and decisively, the long-term survival of the universal and public health system that Canadians love is at stake.”
Connected strings?
As Ottawa and the provinces prepare to begin negotiations on increased health transfers, Duclos on Friday outlined the federal government’s top five priorities for the system: ending delays and many more health workers, improved access to primary care. a better system of long-term care and home care for the elderly, more resources for mental health and substance abuse and a new impetus for the digitization of health data and the facilitation of more virtual care. The federal government may eventually require counties to spend new money on these priority areas – something this liberal government has done in the past with mental health and home care deals. The prime ministers have repeatedly stated that they want “long-term unconditional funding”. Duklos said Canadians were not interested in a protracted battle or “fiscal or economic battle” between Ottawa and the provinces over money and jurisdiction. “Patients waiting for surgery and families hoping to access family health services want results. They want care. Canadians are not interested in a sterile budget debate,” Duclos said.
