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| TODAY'S NEWS | SEARCH THE NEWSROOM | NEWS BY MINISTRY |
TORONTO, Feb. 16 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government took another step
towards strengthening and restoring confidence in our public healthcare system
today as Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman made a
presentation to the Standing Committee public hearings on Bill 8, the
Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2003.
"These hearings are crucial in enabling the committee to recommend
amendments to improve this important legislation," said Smitherman. "Public
hearings give people a chance to voice their opinions and they remind us of
the essence of democracy. Our government promised the people of Ontario real,
positive change--and we value their contributions to improving medicare, and
our healthcare system"
Introduced last November, the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act
would make universal, public medicare the law in Ontario and include
accountability as a central principle.
The proposed legislation has three components:
- It would create an Ontario Health Quality Council to monitor and
report on important health care indicators for Ontarians including
access to priority health services, health human resources and
population health status;
- It would strengthen the prohibition of "two-tier" medicine by
proposing amendments to existing Acts that would close legislative
loopholes that allow queue-jumping and extra billing;
- It would entrench accountability as a central principle in Ontario's
healthcare system by establishing accountability agreements with
publicly-funded healthcare providers that sets out performance
measures.
"Public healthcare is the best kind of healthcare," Smitherman said. "It
means that no matter how much money you have, if you're ill, our health system
will be there for you. By working to keep our people healthy--and by caring
for them when they need care--we are protecting our most precious resource."
The public hearings of the Standing Committee opened today in Toronto,
and end on February 26 in Niagara Falls, with hearings scheduled in Sudbury,
Ottawa, and Windsor as well.
This news release is available on our website at:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca
Version française disponible
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For further information: Members of the media - Eva Lannon, (416) 327-4320, Minister's Office; John Letherby, (416) 314-6197, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327, or (800) 268-1154
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