News
-
SENDING FERTILITY PATIENTS TO PRIVATE CARE IS THE WRONG DIRECTION
Nov 3EdmontonSENDING FERTILITY PATIENTS TO PRIVATE CARE IS THE WRONG DIRECTION
Friends of Medicare are calling for a reversal of the AHS decision to terminate services at the Edmonton Regional Fertility and Women's Endocrine Clinic at Edmonton's Lois Hole Hospital.
News broke November 2 via twitter that the clinic will no longer offer services such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), as well as donor eggs and sperm programs. Patients will now be referred to private clinics in Edmonton or Calgary for those services.
-
RESIDENT AND FAMILY COUNCILS ACT A WELCOME STEP IN PROVIDING PATIENTS A VOICE
NOV 1EDMONTONRESIDENT AND FAMILY COUNCILS ACT A WELCOME STEP IN PROVIDING PATIENTS A VOICE
Friends of Medicare are applauding Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman for introducing Bill 22 the Resident and Family Councils Act.
"Resident and Family Councils are a great tool to give voice to residents of continuing care facilities and their loved ones," said Executive Director Sandra Azocar. "Friends of Medicare have been calling for this for years and it is great to see this step being taken."
-
How Will Provinces Cope with $31 Billion Cut
MEDIA RELEASE
OCT 19, 2017
EDMONTONThe Elephant at the Health Ministers' Meetings: How Will Provinces Cope with $31 Billion Cut
New National Report Outlines the Huge Cost of the Failed Health Accord
As Health Ministers from across Canada meet in Edmonton this week, Canada's Health Coalitions released a report showing the recent bilateral health schemes pushed through by the Trudeau government have come at a huge cost. The report "Health Accord Breakdown: Costs and Consequences of the Failed 2016/17 Negotiations" calculates that the failure of the Health Accord will mean a health care funding shortfall of $31 billion for the provinces with no concrete targets to improve public health care for Canadians and no plan to bridge the fiscal gap. Calling the rhetoric around health transformation and target funds for home and mental health care "more PR than substance", the coalitions also tallied the non-monetary costs of the lost Health Accord: the grave problems of under capacity in public hospitals, long-term and community care; long-waits; growing inequities and problems with access to care that will continue without any national plan to address them.
-
Prescription Drug Coverage Needed to Fight Poverty for Alberta’s Working Class
Media ReleaseSeptember 4, 2017EdmontonPrescription Drug Coverage Needed to Fight Poverty for Alberta’s Working Class
At today’s annual Labour Day barbecue for the unemployed and underemployed organized by the Edmonton & District Labour Council, the EDLC, End Poverty Edmonton & Friends of Medicare are calling for action on universal prescription drug coverage to help fight poverty in Alberta.
-
Alberta Can Show Pride by Removing Barriers to Trans Health Care
Media ReleaseSeptember 1, 2017EdmontonAlberta Can Show Pride by Removing Barriers to Trans Health Care
Unequal access to hormone replacement therapy causing wait times
Friends of Medicare are calling on the Government of Alberta to mark Calgary Pride week by removing barriers to health care for trans patients, and end the practice of unequal access to hormone replacement therapy.
-
New Dental Fee Guide Fails to Tackle Affordability Issues
Media ReleaseAugust 17, 2017EdmontonNew Dental Fee Guide Fails to Tackle Affordability Issues
After waiting for 20 years for a public Dental Fee Guide, Albertans will only see a 3% reduction of the fees currently being charged by dentists in this province. "For years Albertans have been paying almost double of what the rest of Canadians pay for dental services. A mere 3% reduction being proposed will do nothing to address the issue of affordability which currently prevents Albertans from accessing dental care," says Sandra Azocar, Executive Director with Friends of Medicare.
-
Health Advocates Applaud Universal Mifegymiso Coverage
Media ReleaseJuly 24EdmontonHealth Advocates Applaud Universal Mifegymiso Coverage
Friends of Medicare are pleased to see Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman announce universal coverage for the abortion pill mifegymiso today.
"Today's announcement will be especially important to women in rural communities who would normally have to travel to Edmonton or Calgary for abortion," said Executive Director Sandra Azocar. "Our health system should be based on the principle of equitable access to services regardless of your postal code, and covering mifegymiso for all Albertans follows that principle."
-
Canadian Health Advocates to Premiers: Stand up for Public Health Care
Canadian Health Coalition Chair Pauline Worsfold speaks at the rally. Photo credit Linda Silas.Media ReleaseJuly 19, 2017EdmontonCanadian Health Advocates to Premiers: Stand up for Public Health Care
Health care advocates from across the country gathered in Edmonton today at a rally outside the Hotel Macdonald to call on Canada’s Premiers to fight for patients and call for fair federal funding for health care.
-
Pure North Funding Cancellation Welcomed
For Immediate ReleaseJuly 12, 2017EdmontonPure North Funding Cancellation Welcomed
Friends of Medicare are pleased to see that Alberta's Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman has cancelled funding for the Precision Health clinic operated by Pure North after CBC News revealed the clinic had been offering unproven treatment to a patient.
-
Budget 2017 Resists Pressure to Cut Needed Health Services
For Immediate ReleaseEdmontonMarch 16, 2017Budget 2017 Resists Pressure to Cut Needed Health Services
Major Work Needs to Begin on Expanding and Improving Universal Public Care
Friends of Medicare are pleased to see funding increases of 3.2% which will cover spending pressures in inflation and population growth. Friends of Medicare are also glad to see the government willing to resist wrong headed calls to cutback an already stretched system.