Surveys on public and private health care in Canada
Surveys on public and private health care in Canada
As part of work on the balance of public and private health care in Canada, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) commissioned two surveys in the summer of 2023 to better understand the views of the public and physicians on the state of the health system, issues of concern and potential solutions. Below are some of the highlights.
Three in ten respondents from the general population said they could not access health care in the past 12 months. The top three reasons were:
42%
Long wait times
36%
No family doctor
25%
Care not available in public system and cost-prohibitive in private sector
Canadians said the health system needs major reform – and 92% of physicians agree.
Physicians
General population
5%
The health care system works well but needs some minor changes to get better
46%
The health care system is okay today but needs some fundamental changes to meet future needs
49%
The health care system is not working for most Canadians and needs major changes
When asked about the kind of health care system they want, Canadians’ top three values are:
-
Timely access
-
Equity
-
Sufficient supplies/supports for health care professionals
Physicians have similar views but tend to give greater weight to equipping health care professionals to provide the best care possible.
More than half of respondents to both surveys favour expanded public health insurance. Nearly two-thirds of Canadians think government spending on health care should increase.
More publicly funded health services
More government spending
Canadians generally believe a publicly operated, publicly funded system would outperform a privately operated, publicly funded system.
Ensuring that everyone in Canada, no matter where they live or their personal situation, gets equal treatment from the health system:
63%
General population
83%
Physicians
Ensuring all players in the system, from funders to providers to patients, are accountable for their actions:
48%
General population
49%
Physicians
Almost half of Canadians think a privately operated system would perform better is ensuring timely access to care.
42%
General population
58%
Physicians
While there is support for allowing physicians and other care providers to work in both public and private sectors, many Canadians also worry that allowing more private services will draw workers away from the public system.
Allow dual practice:
Worry that providers will move from public to private sector:
More than half of Canadians expressed openness to patients paying for access to health services:
If they can afford it:
53%
General population
47%
Physicians
When the public system cannot provide timely access:
53%
General population
56%
Physicians
Both physicians and the general public are strongly against imposing user fees for core services currently covered by Medicare.
Sources:
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Ipsos/CMA survey, conducted between June 22 and 27, 2023, included a nationwide sample of more than 3,000 people in Canada aged 18 years and older. The poll is accurate to within + or – two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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CMA member survey, conducted between June 20 and July 4, 2023, included a nationwide sample of more than 2,600 physicians, residents and medical students. The data was weighted by region and segment to ensure the sample’s composition reflects that of the profession.