The BC Health Coalition regularly contributes to discussion about public health care issues in the media.
Check out our recent news releases below, along with current "health care in the news" stories. See our For the Media page for media contact information, a high resolution copy of our logo, and other useful information.
Justine Hunter/The Globe and Mail (link to article) The B.C. government has moved against doctors who engage in illegal extra billing, enacting a law that aims to end queue-jumping by patients who pay to fast-track access to publicly funded medical care.…Read More
Katya Slepian/Columbia Valley Pioneer Practitioners could face fines of up to $20,000 The province is cracking down on medical practitioners doublebilling for services already covered by B.C.'s Medical Services Plan, introducing new fines worth tens of thousands of dollars. On Wednesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said the move brings into force outstanding sections of the 2003 Medicare Protection Amendment Act. Double billing is already illegal, Dix said, just not properly enforced.…Read More
Action to stop “wild west” of private billing paired with moves to reduce wait times means faster, more efficient care in public system, fewer patients facing unaffordable private fees For immediate release…Read More
Rick Turner and Edith MacHattie/Vancouver Sun (click HERE for article) B.C. lags behind much of the country when it comes to MRI wait times, with as many as one in 10 patients waiting more than 200 days for a scan. That is why the province's recent action to increase public MRI capacity to cut waiting times is welcome.…Read More
Canadian Press & Daily Courier Staff/ The Daily Courier (Kelowna) (see article HERE) B.C. is increasing the number of MRI exams that will be done across the province. Health Minister Adrian Dix says 37,000 more MRIs will be done by this time next year in the public health-care system.…Read More