Minister’s Message
I am honoured to present to Parliament and to Canadians the Canada Health Act Annual Report 2021-2022.
As the federal Minister of Health one of my key responsibilities is to uphold the Canada Health Act which ensures that all Canadians have equitable access to essential health care services based on their need and not their ability, or willingness, to pay. My mandate letter also commits me to strengthening compliance with and modernizing the interpretation of the Act. I know that Canadians remain justifiably proud of our publicly funded health care system, but our system is also under significant pressure, which will require all levels of government to work together to ensure it meets the modern day needs of Canadians.
In order to ensure the long-term strength of the health system, working in partnership with provinces and territories, our work will focus on key priorities areas; 1) improving access to family health services; 2) addressing backlogs and supporting, attracting, and retaining health workers, 3) modernizing our health system with health data and digital health, 4) improving access to mental health and substance use services and 5) helping Canadians age with dignity, closer to home.
Medicare is a prime example of federal-provincial-territorial collaboration as health is a shared responsibility in Canada, and in order to achieve results and meet the health care needs of Canadians, all levels of government need to work together. The provincial and territorial governments have primary jurisdiction in health care delivery and administration, while the federal government defines the national requirements that must be reflected in health care insurance plans, under the Canada Health Act, which most jurisdictions not only meet but often exceed.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen what can be achieved when all levels of government work together in collaboration. To meet the health care needs of Canadians, we have seen the expansion of virtual care, telemedicine, and the scope of health care practitioners. Nonetheless, although our universal public health care system was an integral part in Canada’s response to COVID-19, the pandemic has brought to light new challenges and amplified those already creating stress on our system. To this end, the provinces and territories have been working hard in the fight against COVID-19, to reduce backlogs exacerbated by the pandemic, and to recruit and retain health care workers.
Our collaborative work also extends to strengthening Canada’s universal health care system by upholding the standards of the Canada Health Act. From a federal perspective, we are working hard to ensure that as our health care system evolves, so too does the interpretation and administration of the Canada Health Act, to better serve Canadians. We are taking action to combat patient charges, including those for surgical abortion services, diagnostics, as well as other insured services received in private clinics; and, for the first time, this coming March 2023, provinces and territories which permit charges for medically necessary diagnostic services, will also face deductions to their Canada Health Transfer payments. The aim of the Act is not to levy deductions but rather to work with the provinces and territories to ensure that Canadians have access to the care they need without barriers. As such, I would also like to recognize several jurisdictions for their collaborative work to eliminate patient charges in their respective jurisdictions and the underlying circumstances which led to them. Newfoundland and Labrador has been fully reimbursed all Canada Health Transfer deductions since 2019 and British Columbia has received several partial reimbursements in recognition of the elements of their Reimbursement Action Plan that have been successfully implemented. Copies of their respective Reimbursement Action Plans can be found in this report. British Columbia has also taken a strong legal stance in combatting patient charges in the province regarding access to necessary health care in private clinics, as well as more recently for access to virtual care. This action embodies the position we all share, that no one should be left behind or denied necessary health care, based on their ability or willingness to pay.
The pandemic has proven we are stronger together and when there is a will, all levels of government can work together to meet the health care needs of Canadians. In March 2022, I laid out my vision for the future of federal-provincial-territorial collaboration on health care in Canada. I look forward to continuing our collaboration, respecting the jurisdiction of the various levels of government, sharing in our joint responsibility to provide Canadians with the care they need, and delivering on better health care results for everyone.
