Healthcare & Related Issues
Federal Transfers: Will not cut federal transfers to provinces and territories.
Doctors: will help attract new doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners to rural communities, by forgiving a portion of federal student loans for those who agree to practice in under-served rural or remote areas. o Starting in 2012–13, practicing family physicians will be eligible for federal Canada Student Loan forgiveness of up to $8,000 per year to a maximum of $40,000. Nurse practitioners and nurses will be eligible for federal Canada Student Loan forgiveness of up to $4,000 per year to a maximum of $20,000.
Adult Fitness Tax Credit: will establish an Adult Fitness Tax Credit, to cover up to $500 in registration fees for fitness activities for adults
Pharmacare: will work with the provinces and territories to ensure that all Canadians from coast-to-coast to-coast have a drug plan that covers the cost of prescription drugs for illnesses such as cancer, diabetes or arthritis that can be financially catastrophic to families.
o will also explore ways to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the healthcare system, including supporting provinces and territories to expand bulk purchasing.
Brain Health Strategy: will consult with provinces, stakeholders and experts, and put in place a Canadian Brain Health Strategy in its first year in office. Its main objective will be helping Canadian families cope and it will encompass such diseases as Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease. The Strategy will include the following elements:
o Awareness, Education and Prevention. will develop a public education campaign to encourage good brain health throughout life, including better understanding of how proper diet, physical and mental exercise slow down the decline of brain health. Public education efforts will also combat the social stigma attached to brain disease, and mental health problems.
o Research. $100 million over the first two years of a Liberal government will be invested in the Canadian Brain Health Strategy, targeting research into new treatments and therapies for neurological disorders, and accelerating progress in understanding, treating and preventing brain diseases. This investment of new federal funds will be channeled through leading national research bodies.
o Income security will conduct a review to identify potential measures needed to prevent brain disorders from forcing families and individuals into poverty. The Liberal plan for Family Care will make a significant difference, but more may be needed in the longer term to help the growing numbers of affected Canadian families cope. o Integrated Treatment and Support. will disseminate knowledge and best practices to foster improvements in the quality of treatment and support for patients and families coping with brain disorders.
Pharmacare: will work with the provinces and territories to save Canadians money on the cost of their prescription medications, including, as finances permit:
o Improved assessment to ensure quality, safety and cost and health effectiveness of prescription drugs;
o Using bargaining power in pharmaceutical purchases;
o Cutting administrative costs through public administration;
o Establishing science-based formularies and clinical guidelines to advance evidence-based practice by physicians;
o More aggressive price review;
o Eliminating kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies to pharmacists;
o Moving towards more publicly funded research and development, driven by public priorities, not commercial profits.
Health Accords: will negotiate a new ten-year health accord with the provinces and territories in 2014. The accord will guarantee a continued strong federal contribution – including the 6 per cent escalator – to Canada’s public health care system – in return for a clear, monitored and enforced commitment to respect the principles of the Canada Health Act and to the integrity and modernization of health care; will work with provincial and territorial partners to:
o Promote a clear commitment to the single-payer system;
o Make progress on primary care;
o Take appropriate steps to replace fee-for-service delivery;
o Take first steps to reduce the costs of prescription medicines for Canadians, employers and governments;
o Extend coverage to out-of-hospital services like home care and long-term care.
Doctors and Nurses: will work with the provinces and territories to address the shortage of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals by training 1,200 new doctors over the next 10 years, adding 6,000 new training spaces for nurses over six years and substantially increasing the number of training spaces for other health professionals;
o In collaboration with the provinces and territories, we will establish programs aimed at recruiting and supporting low-income, rural and aboriginal medical students.
Keywords: election, pension reform, caregivers, healthcare, tax credits
