The debate over the future of Medicare has become clouded by myths put forward by supporters of privatization. Here is a list of some of those myths – and the facts that prove that public health care makes sense!

People like Premier Klein and Don Mazankowski, chairman of the controversial Advisory Council on Health Care, say that user fees are needed to combat "abuse" in the system. However, research has shown that only a tiny fraction of Canadians make unnecessary visits to their doctors. The research also shows that user fees would deter poor people from seeking medical care when they need it.

Supporters of privatization say that Medicare costs are spiraling out of control. But the truth is that health spending per capita in Alberta is only 5.5 percent higher today than it was in 1993. Alberta still spends less as a percentage of its GDP on health care than any other province. And, despite our province’s obvious wealth, we still have the lowest levels of spending per person on hospital services in the country.

Critics of Medicare often argue that privatization would save money and improve efficiency. But evidence from around the world shows that this is not the case. The U.S. has the most privatized system in the world and they spend more than double what Canada spends per person on health care. Despite having such high levels of spending, nearly 50 million Americans have no health coverage at all. In Britain, where private companies have been contracted to provide public health services (much like the system envisaged under Alberta’s Bill 11) waiting lists have gotten longer and administrative costs have jumped from 6 percent of the budget to more than 18 percent.

(Sources: Canadian Institute for Health Information, Friends of Medicare, Dr. Allyson Pollock)