Enrolment fee fell outside bounds of the Canada Health Act and the Medicare Protection Act
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| George Abbott |
Vancouver (Feb. 2, 2006) - Days after the Ontario Health Coalition released a legal opinion on the proposed opening of a Copeman Healthcare Centre in Ontario, BC's Minister of Health, George Abbott, publicly said that the Vancouver Copeman centre likely violated federal and provincial legislation.
The Copeman clinic has responded by shifting their fee structure in an attempt to mute the criticism.
The Copeman clinic had promised access to doctors 24 hours a day with an initial enrolment fee of $1,200 and a $2,300 annual fee. They have announced plans to roll the initial enrolment fee into the first years annual fee. Meaning that the first years annual fee will be $3,500 and subsequent years will have an annual fee of $2,300.
Advocates for public health care wonder whether the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario will let this funding shell game pass.
Clinic violated Canada Health Act and Medicare Protection Act
Prior to Copeman's recent announcement Abbott, quoted by CBC British Columbia, said that "based on the research we have done, that the enrolment fee does fall outside the bounds of the Canada Health Act and the Medicare Protection Act."
Just what the Ministry intends to do about the situation is not entirely clear. When speaking to the Globe and Mail, Abbott appeared to be taking a fairly hard line:
"We have advised him about the enrolment fee on numerous occasions, and it is time for him to either agree or disagree, and we will be formally advising him of this by letter."
"We have tried to work constructively with Mr. Copeman, but we cannot have his lack of compliance go [unchallenged]."
The Globe also has the minister giving the clinic until the end of the month to comply.
But in the CBC item Abbott appears a little more conciliatory:
"If at some point we conclude that Mr. Copeman is either unable or unwilling to bring his clinic into compliance with the statutory framework, then we will have to take additional action to bring him into compliance."
Now that the Copeman clinic has promised a superficial change in their fee structure the question is how the province will respond. And just what this will mean in Ontario. Clinic founder Don Copeman is meeting with officials in Ontario to discuss the proposed expansion into the province.
Clinic has been under fire in the British Columbia
The Vancouver clinic has been at the centre of fairly heated debate since its opening. One of the organizations leading the charge has been the BC Health Coalition (BCHC).
“The Copeman Healthcare Centre stands for everything that Medicare founder Tommy Douglas despised – a two-tier system where those who can pay get better health care treatment and those who can’t must wait longer for doctors’ appointments,” says Maryann Abbs, coordinator of the BCHC.
“The BC Government must act quickly and decisively to end two-tier medical services like the Copeman Clinic,” Abbs says. NUPGE
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