About Us
Promoting Reform and Innovation within the Public System - Evidence-Informed and Values-Driven
Canadian Doctors for Medicare stepped into the national health care debate in May 2006 when a group of physicians and friends became concerned about the increased privatization in Canadian health care and the development of a two-tier health care system that would allow the wealthy to buy private insurance for private care at the expense of the vast majority of Canadians.Our members include high-profile leaders in clinical medicine, research, policy and education residents, medical students, retired physicians; and "Friends" in other health professions and among the Canadian public. We believe that Medicare must be reformed but that reform must take place within the public system so that it benefits all Canadians.
Since May 2006 we have:
- Built a national organization of pro-Medicare physicians and "Friends" led by a 19-member Board of Directors representative of physicians across Canada.
- Become Canada's recognized voice for pro-Medicare physicians; our spokespersons appear regularly in all major media.
- Developed a comprehensive physician education program - "Grand Rounds" - on the evidence for the value and effectiveness of public health care and universal health insurance that is being presented in medical schools and at conferences in Canada and the U.S.
- Made important contributions to the Medicare debate with publications in professional, academic journals.
- Conducted a highly-successful French language symposium in Quebec.
- Had a strong presence at the 2007 Canadian Medical Association meeting in Vancouver, where we challenged misinformation on the alleged 'benefits' of private insurance for medically necessary hospital and physician services, co-payments for medically necessary care, and for-profit clinics.
- Developed partnerships with many pro-Medicare organizations in the public and private sector, including the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario and the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions.
- Built a strong working alliance with Physicians for a National Health Program in the United States - an organization committed to bringing the best of the Canadian public-health care model to the U.S.
By supporting Canadian Doctors for Medicare, you are supporting reform and innovation within Medicare and helping ensure Medicare remains public.
