Vote Public Health Care!
BC Health Coalition calls on British Columbians to vote for federal candidates who support public solutions to health care challenges.
The BC Health Coalition is calling on voters to elect federal candidates who will commit to standing up in support of Medicare and oppose the growth of for-profit health care.
-Citizens are clearly concerned about health care in this province," said BCHC co-chair Joyce Jones, who noted a recent Angus Reid poll that put health care as the number one issue with voters when they decide which party to support in the upcoming federal election.
-Medicare is under attack, especially here in B.C.," said Jones. -We need a federal government that will send a clear message to the provinces that the Canada Health Act will be enforced, and not allow the kinds of violations that have been happening here in B.C.," she added.
B.C. leads the country in the growth of for-profit investor owned surgical clinics, and billing patients out-ofpocket for insured services ... a clear violation of the Canadian Health Act ... has now become commonplace.
-The provincial governments neglect of the health needs of seniors and people with disabilities also highlights the need for national standards for home health services and long-term care," said Jones. Jones noted that the rate of preventable hospitalizations has grown in the wake of provincial cuts to home support services and that an increasing number of seniors are being placed in profit-seeking, investor-owned longterm care homes that provide worse care than not-for-profit facilities.
The BCHC is encouraging voters to raise health care issues at all-candidates forums before going to the polls on October 14th. For a collection of our Election Resources visit:
http://www.bchealthcoalition.ca/content/view/209/177/
-British Columbians must demand that politicians support positive, public solutions to make Medicare stronger, reject the false claim that public health care is financially unsustainable and oppose reforms that promote for-profit health care delivery," said Jones.
-30-
For more information contact:
Joyce Jones, co-chair; BC Health Coalition: 604-987-0168 or 604-786-7530 (cell)