Stop Privatization of Health Care
Bill 60 – What you need to know.
This legislation will facilitate the Ford Government’s plan to expand private health care. It will replace the Independent Health Facilities Act.
The government has already funded private clinics to perform publicly funded day surgeries and diagnostics rather than giving the funds to the public hospitals.
Key Changes that Bill 60 will affect.
- Ford government will be able to appoint a person or corporation that is not an employee of the ministry of health with powers to create new private clinics, expand privatization of clinics, and services.
- Since this person or corporation is not in the public service, they are not subject to conflict of interest, financial disclosure of freedom of information and reporting regulations that public servants are.
- A new provision will shield the new private clinics’ information from freedom of information legislation.
- Enabling upselling- patients are sent to a private clinic for their OHIP covered procedure and are offered uninsured services and charges allowing clinics to co-mingle medically necessary with unnecessary services.
- Deregulating bills and definitions- changing definition of physician to include both a physician lawfully entitled to practice medicine “or another prescribed person” which means they can include others who are not licensed. The same has been applied to several other acts including terms for Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Registered Practical Nurses
Bill 60 was introduced, and passed with first reading in one day, second reading within two weeks. There was little time to compare bill 60 to existing legislation prior to it passing.
The Ontario Health Coalition has organized a citizen-led Community opinion vote, a public referendum. They are asking Ontarians to vote whether they want our local public healthcare system to be privatized to for-profit hospitals and clinics.
This referendum will be held in community voting stations, staffed by volunteers as well as online. Voting online is open now! In person voting will happen Friday May 26 and Saturday May 27, 2023. To find your in person voting station location or to vote online please click the link below!
To find out more about the Ontario Health Coalition they can be found at this website.
Home – Ontario Health Coalition
Links for more information on Bill 60
2023.03-EIE_Bill60_FINAL.pdf (ofl.ca)
Bill 60, Your Health Act, 2023 – Legislative Assembly of Ontario (ola.org)