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Health Coalitions Call for Increased Federal Health Care Funding and Accountability

Health Coalitions Call for Increased Federal Health Care Funding and Accountability

Ottawa, December 10, 2020- On December 10, Canada’s premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to request an increase to federal funding for health care. Health coalitions from across the country support the call for a long-term increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). This funding must be accompanied by a robust accountability framework to ensure that provinces and territories invest this money in public health care and uphold the Canada Health Act.
 
Fom Friends of Medicare

Written by
December 10, 2020

  • Health Coalitions Call for Increased Federal Health Care Funding and Accountability

    Health Coalitions Call for Increased Federal Health Care Funding and Accountability

    Ottawa, December 10, 2020- On December 10, Canada’s premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to request an increase to federal funding for health care. Health coalitions from across the country support the call for a long-term increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). This funding must be accompanied by a robust accountability framework to ensure that provinces and territories invest this money in public health care and uphold the Canada Health Act.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    December 10, 2020

  • Alberta's seniors deserve accountability from government & continuing care operators

    EDMONTON — The Alberta government’s most recent announcement of new COVID-19 restrictions did little to promote the protection of seniors who reside in Alberta’s continuing care system. We heard nothing by way of a staffing plan to ensure that seniors receive much-needed care, or to address the shortages that will continue to be exacerbated by limitations set on families’ visitation.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 27, 2020

  • Government disregard for health care officials leaves Albertans at risk

    EDMONTON — Today’s story in the CBC reveals that the government has opted to follow political ideology rather than best medical advice when shaping Alberta’s COVID-19 response. According to secret audio recordings of several planning meetings of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) leaked to the CBC, the expert advice of Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, has been repeatedly undermined by the UCP government.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 26, 2020

  • Today’s new COVID-19 restrictions continue to fail Albertans

    November 24, 2020
    EDMONTON

    EDMONTON — As per today’s government mandated restrictions and declaration of a state of public health emergency, Alberta has become a place where family members are not allowed to visit one another, but individuals and households can continue to go to casinos, bars or restaurants. Alberta has become the last province to enact a mask mandate, but it only pertains to indoor workplaces, and only in Edmonton, Calgary and surrounding areas.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 24, 2020

  • With passing of Bill 204, UCP ideology reigns over science & evidence

    EDMONTON -- Today, in Alberta’s Legislature, we witnessed ideology win out over the well-being of all Albertans and Canadians. Following the Third Reading this afternoon, the legislative assembly passed Bill 204: Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act. In the midst of an unprecedented and worsening public health crisis, Alberta is now on track to allow the corporate collection and global export of Albertans’ plasma. 

    Alyssa Pretty

    Written by
    November 16, 2020

  • Fact Check: Bill 204

    Friends of Medicare and other Albertans concerned about the impact Bill 204 will have on our public blood system have been contacting Tany Yao and their MLAs to urge them not to allow this dangerous bill to pass. In response they have been receiving the following standard template letter from both MLA Yao and other UCP MLAs, containing factual errors and misinformation. Friends of Medicare has fact checked this letter to set the record straight: Bill 204 won't help Albertan patients. 
    Alyssa Pretty

    Written by
    November 10, 2020

  • Bill 204 threatens & undermines our voluntary public blood system

    Back in March, Friends of Medicare warned Albertans that while our province was grappling with the beginnings of an unprecedented pandemic, private blood brokers were trying to find a way to profit from this dire situation. The Alberta government lobbyist registry showed that a big pharma interest group representing the private for-profit blood industry (Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association represented by Santis Health Inc), was attempting to persuade the government to repeal the Voluntary Blood Donation Act, which bans for-payment blood clinics in the province.

    As expected, MLA Tany Yao soon introduced Bill 204: Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act, which is now expected for third reading on Monday, November 9. While Mr Yao has insisted that his Bill 204 will help address our domestic plasma supply needs, his mere three page bill contains no stipulations to guarantee that privately collected plasma will remain in Alberta or even Canada. In fact, private blood brokers make their profit on the international market, where they compete to sell their plasma to the highest bidder. In contrast, every single collection within our publicly funded blood system is guaranteed to be used to treat Canadian patients. 
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 03, 2020

  • Friends of Medicare stands today in support of Albertans with disabilities

    Friends of Medicare will be standing today in support of Albertans with disabilities, who are currently supported and cared for under publicly-run Direct Operations at homes and respite centres in Edmonton and Calgary.

     
    Approximately 200 guardians of disabled Albertans were given notice on June 10th that the UCP government was “exploring alternative service delivery”—code for privatization—of Edmonton’s Rosecrest home for children, the Hardisty and Balwin respite centers, Edmonton group homes, and Calgary’s Scenic Bow home.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 27, 2020

  • Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with AUPE & striking health care workers

    October 26, 2020
    EDMONTON

    Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with AUPE & striking health care workers
     
    Front-line hospital workers represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees have walked off the job at locations across Alberta today, to defend their jobs and the public health care system that keeps Albertans safe and healthy.
     
    This is a decision that no health care worker takes lightly. These workers know better than anyone the importance of a strong and well-resourced public health care system, and they know what is at stake of being lost if the government continues to pursue their incessant cuts. Health care workers are striking today because they need to be sure that they are equipped to provide the best possible care for patients, and they know this government stands in the way of that.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 26, 2020

  • Drug coverage changes kick Albertans while they're down

    EDMONTON — AHS has proposed a new program that would shift the cost of certain medications, including those used to treat cancer and Crohn’s, onto patients, as revealed in a CBC report today. This change exemplifies this government’s cruel, shameful and short-sighted approach to saving money on the backs of sick Albertans.

    The Standardizing Access to Medications for Ambulatory Patients (STAMP) program aims to reduce AHS spending by an estimated $2.3 million dollars by requiring that patients pay for the cost of their medications, as well as the costs of having them administered, such as in the case of infusions.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 21, 2020