Audit of Copeman Clinic Applauded and Should be Expanded to Other Clinics

In light of the news that Health Minister Sarah Hoffman is initiating a long called for audit of the private-for-profit Copeman clinic, Friends of Medicare are calling on the Alberta Government to expand their audit beyond just Copeman.

 "With the allegations that Advanced Primary Care is operating under "virtually the same model as Copeman", we believe it would be justified to audit Advanced Primary Care, and others across Alberta operating under similar models," said Executive Director Sandra Azocar.  "We know there are long wait times in this province, and thanks to what appear to be unnecessary and costly procedures offered at these clinics, those wait times may be growing longer. Medicare is based on the principle of all Canadians having access to quality care regardless of the contents of their wallet."

Fees at Copeman will cost a family of four over $9500 for their first year, while Advanced Primary Care charges over $6500 for their first year.

"We worry that these private clinics take away needed resources from public care, add unnecessary costs to patients, and don't address the systemic problems facing Medicare," Azocar added. "We likely lose the focus on patient care when we allow a transformation of doctors into medical entrepreneurs."

"We hope this audit is conducted as soon as possible and the results shared with the public and Federal Health Minister Dr. Jane Philpott. The Canada Health Act must be enforced and the principles of universally accessible public health care must be upheld. We are thankful that the provincial government is taking this step after years of calls for investigations into these private clinics."