The NACA Position on Enhancing the Canadian Health Care System no. 21

This position was unanimously adopted by NACA members on September 7, 2000 following the 59th Council meeting

National Advisory Council on Aging
2000

The national public health care system is an achievement which Canadians value and which must be safeguarded against encroachment. The current debate about the long-term affordability of the national public health care system has eclipsed a more insidious threat to both the overall cost and the fairness of health care: that of the highly variable and growing expenditures across Canada for services not insured by the Canada Health Act (CHA). This report examines the health and financial burden to seniors in the areas of home care, medication, long-term residential care and other health expenses, and describes the wide variations across Canada in the access seniors have to public coverage and in the level of costs levied for services.

NACA's vision proposes a more equitable health care system. The Council believes that Canada is currently in a favourable economic and fiscal situation to extend and sustain a wider range of health services and that public financing is the most equitable and cost-effective model of health financing.

*A backgrounder on NACA's paper is also available.

Your free copy of The NACA Position on Enhancing the Canadian Health Care System, is now available in several formats:

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Please send your comments, queries or change of address notice to:

National Advisory Council on Aging
Postal Locator: 1908 A1, 8^th Floor
OTTAWA, Ontario
K1A 1B4

Tel: (613) 957-1968
Fax: (613) 957-9938
E-mail: info@naca-ccnta.ca
Internet: http://www.naca.ca

The Division of Aging and Seniors, Public Health Agency of Canada, provides operational support to the National Advisory Council on Aging.

THE NACA POSITION ON... is a series of policy papers presenting NACA's opinions and recommendations on the needs and concerns of seniors and issues related to the aging of the population.

1^st printing, 2000

Cat. No.: H71-2/2-21-2000
ISBN: 0-662-65241-X