Privatization

  • Shift Continuing Care to Public Sector

    From the December 8 Edmonton Journal:

    http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-shift-continuing-care-to-public-sector

    Written by Executive Director Sandra Azocar and Public Interest Alberta's Seniors Task Force Chair Noel Somerville

    Government should redirect public funding from for-profit continuing care facilities, say Noel Somerville and Sandra Azocar

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    December 08, 2015

  • Kaminski Resignation Brings Hope for Change in AHS

    Today's announcement of the resignation of Alberta Health Services President and CEO Vickie Kaminski is a welcome step says Friends of Medicare.
     
    "We have a new government but AHS had not changed," said Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare.  "Until this new government deals effectively with the governance structure of our health care system we will not be able to focus on the real work of improving our health care to ensure that Albertans receive timely, quality, publicly funded and delivered health care."
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 26, 2015

  • Victorian Order of Nurses Closure Another Example of Failure in Private Care

    After announcing today that they will be ceasing operations in Alberta, home care provider Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) have demonstrated yet again why experiments in private care must be ceased.
     
    "This is now twice since 2013 AHS has lost a contract for home care services," said Friends of Medicare Executive Director Sandra Azocar. "Home care should not be subject to the pressures of a competitive market. It's clear that instead of a race to the top for quality care, we have a race to the bottom to slash costs which squeezes out not-for-profit groups like VON."
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    November 25, 2015

  • HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT LONG TERM CARE IN ALBERTA

    EDMONTON
    Today's announcement from Alberta's Ministry of Health to support the building of twenty-five new supportive living projects raises questions about the course of continuing care in Alberta.
    "Albertans voted for an expansion of public seniors health care, and that's what we're hoping to hear more of," said Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. 
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    October 29, 2015

  • COURT OF APPEAL DECISION IN ALLEN V. ALBERTA WELCOMED

    On September 9, 2015, Justices Peter Martin, Jack Watson, and Frans Slatter unanimously rejected the appeal put forward by lawyer John Carpay on behalf of Darcy Allen that prohibition on private health insurance in Alberta infringes on Mr. Allen's Charter rights. The rejection of this appeal affirms the decision from Justice P. R. Jeffrey of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench on April 2, 2014.
     
    "The rejection of Mr. Allen's appeal is not a rejection of access to health care, but rather recognition that allowing private insurance to determine Albertans' access to healthcare is not a solution to the problems in our public healthcare system," stated Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    September 11, 2015

  • FURTHER PRIVATIZATION OF LAB SERVICES WILL NOT SOLVE PUBLIC PROBLEMS

    We are asking Albertans to do the following: 

    1. Sign and share our online petition.
    2. Download a printable copy, have ten of your family members, friends, and neighbours sign it, and then mail it back to our office (our mailing address is printed on the bottom of the petition form).
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    July 29, 2015

  • Government Must Stop and Reverse Privatization of Laboratory Services in the Edmonton

    Since forming government our New Health Minister, Sarah Hoffman has been given the arduous task of sifting through past privatization misdeeds that will continue to haunt this new government unless they deal with them head on. In the past few weeks, and as reported by media sources, the contracting out of the Lab Services in the Edmonton and surrounding area to Sonic Healthcare have raised questions that require immediate answers.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    July 09, 2015

  • As Spring returns every year, so do "feel good" announcements in election season

    Health Minister Stephen Mandel and Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Vickie Kaminski held a press conference today to announce measures that aim to improve access to health care. However, the announcement raised more questions than answers. Mandel announced that they will be 'reallocating' $50 million from existing health care funds to the Peter Lougheed Hospital, South Health Campus, Misericordia Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, and Grey Nuns Hospital to renovate and expand ER facilities.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    March 11, 2015

  • Revera sale is a sideshow in ongoing private health care fiasco

    Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, issued the following statement today regarding the sale of Revera Home Health to Extendicare's ParaMed Home Health Care:

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    January 23, 2015

  • "Stock market" approach to health care cannot continue

    Friends of Medicare was appalled to hear that the Alberta Government is delaying the long-awaited cancer centre planned for Calgary. The government first promised funding to increase capacity for cancer care in 2005, and last year the government promised a world-class cancer facility would be open in Calgary by 2020. Now they are refusing to commit to a timeline for its completion.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    December 19, 2014