We often hear warnings about two-tier healthcare, where the wealthy can access a private and separate health system.
But even today’s public healthcare does not deliver equal service to everyone. Administration by the provincial government alone produces unfair, three-tier healthcare.
At the top, some people can access primary care around the clock. In the second tier, people can visit family doctors, but only during the day. The last tier includes those who rely exclusively on 8-1-1, walk-in clinics and emergency rooms.
Government administration has become a barrier, rather than a guarantor, of good service. To better serve everyone, community boards and cooperatives should administer healthcare, instead of the provincial government.