The CMA believes a well funded, sustainable, quality health care system must be at the forefront of the federal government's strategic priorities. While reflecting the desire of Canadians to show compassion for their fellow citizens, Medicare also serves as one of our key competitive advantages. The federal government in its 1999 budget took an important first step. The critical issue now becomes what immediate and successive steps will be taken by the government to place the funding of our health care system on a longer-term and sustainable basis. Canadian physicians, nurses and others dedicated to health and health care are not alone in the view that there must be a full restoration of the funding.
Funding is the key for health sustainability.
This may well be the first time that the medical profession, all provincial Premiers, Health and Finance ministers agree. Last month the CMA and other members of HEAL, the Health Action Lobby, appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as part of the pre budget 2000 consultations. The need to index cash entitlements through an escalator in the Canadian Health and Social Transfer to ensure that the federal cash contribution will continue to grow to meet the future health needs of Canadians. The escalator formula recognizes that health care needs are not always synchronised with economic growth. Canadians want and deserve to know if their tax dollars are going to fund the programs for which they were intended.