Some argue that the right to establish and use a private market alternative to the publicly funded system is essential in a free and democratic society.
People have the right to spend money as they please.
Prohibiting or severely penalizing the growth of private market alternatives, it is alleged, discourages innovation and creates a system destined for mediocrity and bureaucratization. This is a clear question of values and principles and is generally debated with emotion. One of the original cornerstones of Medicare was that all would have equitable access to services, regardless of ability to pay. Even if it could be proven that a single, public, universal system for what is deemed medically necessary is in some respects inferior to a combined private-public system, we may still not be justified in moving to the latter. Canadians may value equity and universality over alleged higher quality for a select few.