Official Opposition Calls for Answers as Private-Pay Health Care Expands in P.E.I

The expansion of private-pay access to physician services in Prince Edward Island raises serious questions about the provincial government’s oversight of the health-care system and its commitment to universal access, says Official Opposition Health Critic Gord McNeilly.

McNeilly is calling for answers following reports that healthcare service provider “PEIDoctor” is now offering Islanders access to certain physician services for a fee. Premier Rob Lantz has since criticized the company’s move toward for-profit health-care services and directed the Department of Health to review the matter.

“The Premier says he’s outraged, but Islanders deserve to know how we got to this point in the first place,” said McNeilly. “Private health-care services have been expanding right here in Prince Edward Island for years. Where has the Minister of Health been, and why did it take until now for this government to act?”

McNeilly said offering certain health services to those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket raises important questions about whether Islanders are being charged privately for services that should be covered through the public health-care system, and whether the company’s model complies with the principles and requirements of the Canada Health Act.

“Universal health care is supposed to mean that access to medically necessary care is based on need, not on someone’s ability to pay,” said McNeilly. “If Islanders who can afford to pay can get faster access to a doctor while everyone else remains waiting, government needs to explain how it is allowing that to happen.”

McNeilly pointed to other private-pay options already available in the province, including access to Maple for Islanders who have a primary care provider but choose to pay out of pocket for virtual care.

“This didn’t happen overnight. The Minister of Health needs to explain whether he was aware that private-pay health care was expanding in P.E.I. and, if not, why not,” McNeilly said. “The Premier also needs to explain why this appears to have reached the point of publicly calling out what is happening in his own health-care system before action was taken.”

McNeilly said the situation raises a broader and increasingly urgent question about government’s management of health care in the province.

“Is anyone actually on top of what’s happening in our health-care system?” McNeilly said. “Islanders shouldn’t be watching disagreements over our most important public service play out on Facebook. They should be able to trust that the Premier, the Minister of Health and Health PEI know what is happening and are working together to protect universal access.”

McNeilly is calling on the Premier and Minister of Health to explain when they first became aware of PEIDoctor’s expansion into private-pay physician services, whether the services comply with provincial and federal requirements, and what action government intends to take.

“Islanders have been waiting years for this government to deliver on its promises to improve access to primary care,” McNeilly said. “The answer cannot be a system where people who have the money can move to the front of the line. Government needs to protect universal health care and make sure Islanders can access the care they need based on need, not their ability to pay.”