The U.S. is far from alone on the continent in perpetually arguing over healthcare delivery and putting MRI in the center of the spat.
North of the border, Saskatoon StarPhoenix columnist Les MacPherson takes to task Canada’s federal health minister, Jane Philpott, for clamping down on a program that would reduce “interminable” MRI wait times in Saskatchewan by allowing private providers to charge patients for scans as long as they provide an equal number of scans, for free, to patients on public plans.
“Defenders of crappy public health care are welcome to wait 200 days or drive to Calgary for an MRI if they want, but not to make others do so,” MacPherson writes.
“How is it that a private clinic can do two MRIs for the same fee the public system provides for one and still make a profit?” he adds. “The numbers suggest these private clinics are more than twice as efficient as the public system.”
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Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.