Last year (2016) marked the 50th anniversary of Medicare, a system that saw 50/50 cost sharing by the provinces and federal government. The provinces now pay more than 75 per cent of healthcare costs.
The health of Canadians is worthy of thoughtful discussion leading to a long-term health funding agreement.
Federal Funding
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Health care is the single largest budget item for the provinces and territories, each of which is responsible for the front line delivery of quality health services for Canadians.
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The federal government's unilateral approach to health care funding puts the services Canadians rely on as well as the sustainability of provincial and territorial health services at risk.
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Analysis shows healthcare costs will grow by 5.2 per cent each year over the coming years. Nonetheless, the federal government has reduced growth in healthcare funding to a rate that will see their contribution fall well below this required amount.
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Over the next ten years, the current federal funding proposal will provide nearly $30 billion less than what the evidence shows is needed to maintain the sustainability of health care systems, even with an additional $11 billion in targeted funding. This offer has been presented as a unilateral "take it or leave it" proposal.
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The proposal that is currently on the table from the federal government will further erode the federal share of health spending and put additional strain on provinces and territories.
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This current federal proposal for the Canada Health Transfer and targeted funding will see the federal share of health expenses drop from 23.3 per cent to 20.6 per cent in ten years.
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Research from the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Conference Board of Canada finds health costs contribute to the long-term fiscal imbalance between the federal government and provincial/territorial governments. Both confirm the federal government has the capacity to be a stronger partner in health funding.
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The Prime Minister committed to meeting with provinces and territories to negotiate long-term health funding. However, calls by the premiers for a First Ministers' discussion on health care have gone unanswered for more than a year.
Health Care Funding in Manitoba
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Under the federal offer made to other provinces, Manitoba would receive $18 million less from the federal government in 2017/18, and more than $1 billion less over the next ten years. This would fall considerably short of what the evidence suggests is required from the federal government to cover their share of the provinces' growing healthcare costs.
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Federal funding is needed to ensure high-quality health care is available as our population grows and changes.
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Dialysis services cost approx. $100,000 a year for each patient in Manitoba. It costs $70 million to operate Misericordia Health Centre in Manitoba for one year. It costs approx. $50 million to provide 72,900 MRIs in Manitoba in one year.
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Without a strong and sustained partnership with the federal government, Manitoba's ability to sustain the health care system will be significantly eroded.
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All Manitobans need the federal government to come to the table and partner with the province to ensure quality care.
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Only by working together will Canada be able to find solutions and support the health care you need to stay healthy.
What Can You Do?
