Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2023

— Nov 16, 2023

Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2023 is a new study that compares 30 universal health-care systems in developed countries, finding that Canada has fewer doctors, hospital beds, MRIs, and longer wait times than comparable countries—despite ranking in the top third for spending.

Mental Health Care: How is Canada Doing?

— Oct 10, 2023

Mental Health Care: How is Canada Doing? compares Canada’s mental health services to other countries with universally accessible health care and finds that, despite the Canadian government spending a larger share of health dollars on mental health services, Canada has relatively fewer psychiatric care beds (ranking 22nd out of 28 nations), psychiatrists (ranking 16th out of 28 nations), and psychologists (ranking 15th out of 26 nations) in addition to growing wait times.

Lessons from the Public-Private Partnerships in Surgical Care in Quebec

— Sep 26, 2023

Lessons from the Public Private Partnerships in Surgical Care in Quebec finds that private surgical clinics play an increasingly large role in Quebec’s universal health care system, following a 2006 Supreme Court ruling that allows private surgical clinics to perform select surgeries covered by the Quebec health-care system. In fact, private surgical clinics now perform 1-in-6 government-funded day surgeries in the province.

The Price of Public Health Care Insurance, 2023

— Jul 27, 2023

The Price of Public Health Care Insurance, 2023 is a new study that finds the typical Canadian family (two parents and two children) with an average household income of $169,296 will pay $16,950 for public health care this year. In fact, the cost of public health care insurance for the average Canadian family increased 4.2 times as fast as the cost of clothing, 2.1 times as fast as the cost of food, 1.8 times as fast as the cost of shelter, and 1.7 times as fast as the average income.

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Recent Health Care Commentaries and Blog Posts

Federal government estimates don’t reflect true costs of national pharmacare

Grady Munro, Mackenzie Moir

Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, May 30, 2024

The expected costs of national pharmacare have already increased by approximately $400 million.

Canadian politicians should learn about Australia’s better health-care system

Mackenzie Moir, Bacchus Barua

In Australia, more than 70 per cent of elective hospital admissions involving surgery occurred in a private hospital.

Policymakers in Ottawa and Edmonton maintain broken health-care system

Nadeem Esmail

Appeared in the Calgary Herald, May 8, 2024

Canada ranked dead last on wait times for specialist care and non-emergency surgeries.

Bill Maher is right about Canadian health care

Mackenzie Moir

Appeared in the Toronto Sun, April 24, 2024

Among countries with universal health care, Canada has some of the lowest numbers of physicians, hospital beds and MRI machines.

B.C. government must fundamentally reform health care to shorten wait times

Mackenzie Moir, Tegan Hill

Appeared in Drishti Magazine, April 4, 2024

In 2021/22, 41 per cent of all hospital care in Australia took place in private facilities.

Ottawa’s health-care deal cements failed status quo in Canada

Mackenzie Moir, Jake Fuss

Appeared in the Ottawa Sun, April 4, 2024

Last year Canadians endured the longest median wait time (27.7 weeks) ever recorded for non-emergency surgery.

Health-care wait times in New Brunswick nearly double national average

Alex Whalen, Mackenzie Moir

New Brunswickers who required medically-necessary surgeries endured a median wait for treatment of 52.6 weeks.

Ottawa’s pharmacare plan would likely reduce drug coverage for millions of Canadians

Kristina M.L. Acri, née Lybecker

Appeared in the Hill Times, March 14, 2024

Under pharmacare, the 25 million Canadians who currently have private drug insurance plans will instantly have less coverage.

Federal government not being honest about true cost of national pharmacare

Jake Fuss, Mackenzie Moir

Appeared in the Hill Times, February 28, 2024

Support among Canadians for national pharmacare drops from 79 per cent to 40 per cent when the plan is linked to tax hikes.

Ontario needs health-care reform not more billions from taxpayers

Nadeem Esmail

Appeared in the Toronto Sun, February 16, 2024

In other countries with universal health care, patients are free to seek care privately and are not shackled to the government system.

Research Experts

Dr. Jehangir Appoo

Associate Research Professor, University of Calgary
Bacchus Barua

Director, Health Policy Studies, Fraser Institute
Dr. Brett Belchetz

Practicing Emergency Room Physician
Nadeem Esmail

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Steven Globerman

Senior Fellow and Addington Chair in Measurement, Fraser Institute
David R. Henderson

Professor of Economics, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Roberta Herzberg

Distinguished Senior Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Yanick Labrie

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Kristina M.L. Acri, née Lybecker

Chair of the Department of Economics and Business, Colorado College
Mackenzie Moir

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
Dr. Robert Ouellet

Former President, Canadian Medical Association
Dr. Nigel Rawson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Michael Walker

Fraser Institute Founder and Honorary Director

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