After months of advocacy, our calls to protect our universal healthcare system have led to real action.

We have been raising serious questions about two-tiered healthcare offered by private, for-profit companies like Telus Health for almost a year.

There is a lot of evidence that they have been charging British Columbians thousands of dollars for basic healthcare when those services are offered (for free) as part of our universal healthcare system.

VICTORIA B.C. – B.C. Green leader Sonia Furstenau has called for Health Minister Adrian Dix to release a report by the B.C. Medical Services Commission on Telus Health’s private, fee-based healthcare programs. The corporation is accused of charging patients for basic healthcare needs, allowing queue-jumping, and contributing to a two-tier healthcare system. The report has been with Minister Dix since June 30, 2022.

VICTORIA B.C. – The B.C. Green Party is calling on the B.C. NDP to radically improve support for healthcare in rural B.C., which is facing unique challenges regarding access to a beleaguered and out-dated system. B.C. Green leader Sonia Furstenau and MLA Adam Olsen (Saanich North and the Islands) made the comments at a press conference in Victoria, following the West Kootenays leg of the party’s provincial healthcare tour. Olsen spent four days in Creston, Nelson and the surrounding communities meeting with healthcare professionals on a variety of topics.

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Council of the Federation meets for its second day with continued discussion on healthcare and calls for more federal funding. Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley has issued the following statement:

VANCOUVER B.C. – B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau today launched a Provincial Healthcare Tour to speak to healthcare providers, advocates and patients on the collapsing public healthcare system in BC.

VICTORIA, B.C. – As British Columbians struggle to access basic services, the BC NDP government fails to provide clear solutions to address the crisis in our healthcare system.

VICTORIA, B.C. – The B.C. Green Caucus is calling for the BC NDP to immediately act on the family doctor crisis in British Columbia. Between 750,000 to 900,000 British Columbians are without a family doctor and the shortage is predicted to only grow. The government needs to urgently improve their outdated payment model and remove administrative barriers to keep family doctors in their communities.

VICTORIA, B.C. – Minister Darcy has announced a pause to the Mental Health Amendment Act, 2020 (Bill 22). The B.C. Green Caucus believes this pause is in the best interest of the policy and has issued the following statement:

“After a month of intensive work on Bill 22 with stakeholders and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, the B.C. Green Caucus is reassured to see a pause in the legislative process that will allow for more fulsome consultation with the people who will be disproportionately impacted by this law,” said Adam Olsen, B.C. Green Party interim leader and MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.

VICTORIA B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, released the party’s health platform today in Victoria. Weaver unveiled the platform at the campaign office of Dr. Chris Maxwell, B.C. Greens candidate for Victoria-Swan Lake.

Over the past couple months, I have emphasized the need for government leadership and increased government funding if we are to truly tackle poverty and homelessness in our province. Over the course of the next few articles I will begin to outline what government leadership might look like and identify where that funding could come from. In this first post, I focus on health care funding and the Medical Services Plan premium that unfairly burdens low and fixed income British Columbians as well as small business owners with an overly heavy tax burden. In addition, I provide details concerning British Columbia’s under representation in the federal funding allocation for provincial Health Care via the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). As I will demonstrate, British Columbia is receiving $153 million less that it should through this program.