While parliamentarians are going to undertake today the study of the 1180 articles of the immense reform of the health system tabled by Minister Christian Dubé, Québec solidaire is proposing three amendments described as an “anti-private shield”.
The spokesperson for Health, Vincent Marissal, intends to submit his three suggestions to his colleagues on the Health and Social Services Commission this Wednesday when work resumes on Bill 15.
The future “Act to make the health and social services system more efficient” notably provides for the creation of a government corporation called Santé Québec, which will be responsible for coordinating the operations of the entire network. The ministry will retain its role of dictating directions and determining budgets.
Among the many criticisms formulated against the reform, some criticize the government of the Coalition avenir Québec for wanting to accelerate the privatization of health care to the detriment of the public system.
In the opinion of Vincent Marissal, this bill constitutes “the most frontal attack” against the public nature of the health network.
In order to plug this breach, the MNA for Rosemont is proposing the withdrawal of two articles and the addition of a plan to bring certain services currently provided by private clinics back into the public network.
Vincent Marissal first asks to withdraw articles 485 and 506. The first gives the power to the future Health Quebec agency to authorize the operation of private establishments offering services comparable to those already offered by the public network. The second describes the types of services that can be offered by a specialized medical center authorized by Santé Québec.
The third point of his plan is to deploy an operation aimed at recovering the care already provided by the private sector. At the same time, the public network could repatriate personnel and resources that have been “siphoned off” by the private sector.
From a point of view that may seem more philosophical, the spokesperson for the second opposition also wants to reintegrate the principle of “right” to “free, public and accessible” health care within his third amendment.
“It’s major! Right now in law, it’s a right. This right disappears in Bill 15. If you do not receive a service to which you are entitled, you have recourse. If it’s no longer a right, you no longer have any recourse,” explained Mr. Marissal in an interview with The Canadian Press.
The Health and Social Services Commission held six special consultation sessions during which many stakeholders from the medical, social, union, administrative, community and other sectors attended.
More than a hundred briefs were also sent to the committee with the aim of improving the bill.
Throughout the proceedings, Minister Christian Dubé repeated that he was listening and that his bill could be improved.
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