The group Friends of Medicare has gathered information showing that a severe shortage of public MRIs – coupled with the spread of for-profit diagnostic imaging clinics – is forcing many Albertans to dig into their own pockets to pay for desperately needed medical care.

The information was collected in response to a challenge from federal Health Minister Allan Rock. Three months ago, Rock promised to "take action" against Alberta’s private MRI clinics if Friends of Medicare could provide evidence proving that patients were being charged for medically necessary services – services that should be covered under Medicare.

"We now have the evidence the Minister was looking for," says Christine Burdett, provincial chairperson of Friends of Medicare. "We have collected dozens and dozens of heart-wrenching stories from individuals Albertans. The nature and scope of this problem is truly shocking."

At a news conference in July, Burdett summarized the information contained in a package that was sent by Friends of Medicare to the federal health minister’s office. The package included stories from several dozen Albertans who ended up paying privately for MRIs that had been prescribed by their doctors. Reporters then heard directly from three patients (with conditions ranging from cancer to back injuries) who had to pay for private MRIs before receiving treatment.

The patients explained how long waits for public MRIs effected them emotionally, financially and medically. Some feared the long waits negatively impacted their treatment – and they all agreed that MRI should be seen as a necessary medical service and covered by Medicare.

"We don’t blame the patients who opt for private MRIs," said Burdett. "Faced with a debilitating injury or a potentially life threatening illness who among us would ignore the quickest road to treatment? Our point is that patients should not be forced to make these choices. We have a public health system that is supposed to provide comprehensive and universal care for all Canadians. We think that means that patients should have timely access to public MRIs – paid for by Medicare – whenever these kinds of services have been prescribed by a doctor."

Friends of Medicare says the MRI crisis can be alleviated in two ways. First, they called on the provincial government to invest in new public MRIs. Second they called on the federal government to use the Canada Health Act to ban all private MRI clinics.

"Having (private clinics) around has given the Alberta government an excuse to continue under-funding public facilities," said Burdett. "Closing the private clinics would force the Alberta government to do what it should have done years ago – invest in more public MRIs."

In an interview several days after the Friends of Medicare news conference, federal Health Minister Allan Rock, said the group’s information appeared to "have merit." He said several officials from Health Canada have been assigned to follow-up with patients identified by Friends of Medicare.

"We’re contacting these people and we’re going to follow-up on each of those cases," he promised. "Our concern is that people are being required to pay for medically necessary services, and that’s just not on."

As Labour News was going to press, the Airport Authority had still not responded to a request from the union to return to the bargaining table.