B.C. United MLA Renee Merrifield and candidate Michael Humer were not buying what health minister Adrian Dix was selling during a two-day visit to Kelowna on June 27-28.
On June 27, Dix provided an update on the NDP鈥檚 10-Year Cancer Care Plan. The minister said B.C. has some of the lowest cancer rates and best cancer outcomes in the country. He also highlighted a program that began a year ago which sends cancer patients to Bellingham, Wash. for treatment. It鈥檚 expected to benefit approximately 4,800 people over two years.
A media release from Merrifield stated that a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that of the 2,442 patients referred since May 2023, only 599 completed their treatments. A media story last November said 249 patients preferred to stay in Canada, and 164 declined treatment in the U.S.
Humer, a retired thoracic surgeon and candidate for Kelowna-Centre, attended Dix鈥檚 June 27 news conference at the BC Cancer Clinic. He said it makes no sense to him that B.C. is sending cancer patients to the U.S. for care.
鈥淭he stress on those patients and their families to have to go into the United States, and what about the stress on healthcare providers who aren鈥檛 able to give their care.鈥�
Humer surmised that American healthcare workers are likely paid more to provide treatment after hours.
鈥淲hy are we not doing that same thing here to allow people to look after their patients? As a surgeon, we would have never sent patients to the States. We knew how to get the work done.鈥�
On June 26, B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon released the 鈥楿nited to Fix Healthcare Patient Bill of Rights.鈥�
Among other promises, it provides for publicly funded healthcare at private facilities.
Dix was asked about the plan at last Thursday's news conference. He pointed out that under the past Liberal government, there were more private MRI machines available than public facilities.
鈥淚t meant there was a two-tiered system, an organized system of queue jumping for money. So he鈥檚 saying, that will come back. I don鈥檛 agree with that.鈥�
Humer pointed out that public services offered in private facilities have already been happening in B.C. Dix acknowledged the province鈥檚 purchase of a private facility in Prince George in April 2023.
鈥淭he reason is it required investment. We didn鈥檛 go out and say we want to buy you, they said we think there鈥檚 an opportunity for the Northern Health Authority to take over that surgical centre.鈥�
Dix said the province has also taken over private MRI facilities so services can be delivered to British Columbians.
BC United鈥檚 healthcare platform includes:
- Using existing private providers in B.C., at no cost to patients, to deliver publicly funded care.
- Patients being able to easily access their health records on mobile devices
- Specific health care performance targets
