Most Canadians Believe Private Health Insurance Would Decrease Wait Times25 May 2006
Almost two-thirds of Canadians polled believe private health insurance would decrease wait times for public healthcare services but seven in ten also say it would create a physician shortage in the public sector.
The HealthInsider survey of 2,500 Canadians examined opinions about private vs. public health care in the context of a recent Quebec court case where a patient sued for the right to purchase private insurance for services covered by the provincial Medicare plan. The survey showed Canadians have mixed opinions on the ramifications of the case.
The study also revealed 42 per cent of Canadians would consider buying private health insurance. Willingness increased with income and education and was also higher among those who considered themselves in good or excellent health, compared to those who reported their health to be fair or poor.
"Last year, when the Supreme Court removed the ban in Quebec on private health insurance, the prospect of privatized health care became a much more real possibility for many Canadians," said Neil Stuart, a partner in IBM Global Business Services' healthcare practice. "The full impact of the court decision is still unclear, but the case is a sign governments need to strengthen the public healthcare system and reduce wait times."
The survey found sixty per cent of Canadians agree the ban on private health insurance violates a person's individual rights, if wait times were so long their health was threatened. However, two-thirds of Canadians also agree removing the ban on private health insurance goes against the principles of the Canada Health Act.
Other findings of interest:
- 76 per cent of Quebecers believe wait times would decrease if
Canadians were allowed to buy private health insurance for publicly
provided health services, compared to only 62 per cent of Atlantic
Canadians
- 45 per cent of residents in Ontario and Manitoba believed wait times
would actually increase if Canadians were allowed to buy private
health insurance
- Respondents who believed access to private health insurance would lead
to a physician shortage in the public sector were highest in Ontario,
Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, at more than 70 per cent, and lowest in
British Columbia and Saskatchewan, at 62 per cent.
- Manitoba residents were most likely to consider buying health
insurance for benefits already included in the public plan, at 51 per
cent. Ontarians were the least likely, at 38 per cent.
About HealthInsider
HealthInsider is one of the most comprehensive consumer reports currently available to the Canadian healthcare industry, providing subscribers in-depth data and analysis on consumer attitudes toward health policies, programs, products and services. HealthInsider surveys 2,500 Canadians, with a national margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points in 19 samples out of 20.
For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/ca/healthcare
For further information: Media Contacts: Leslie Plant, IBM Canada, (416) 478-9840, laplant@ca.ibm.com; Erik Van Drunen, Ketchum Public Relations, (416) 544-4904, erik.vandrunen@ketchum.com
Source: newswire
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