The Mazankowski Report: Can We Fix Medicare with More Private Financing?

HealthcarePapers, Vol. 2, No. 4, 2002

7 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2008

See all articles by Colleen M. Flood

Colleen M. Flood

University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law

Abstract

The Mazankowski Report is a very important contribution to the debate washing over Canada with regard to the future of its most cherished social program, medicare. While a complete analysis of the report is not possible in this brief comment, several observations and arguments should be made. First, the report's recommendations for a greater role for private financing undermines the other excellent recommendations made with regard to greater accountability, the rigorous pursuit of quality and greater flexibility regarding the role of the private sector in delivery (as opposed to financing). Second, the report's specific recommendation to establish a permanent, independent panel to determine what services should and should not be publicly funded is a worthwhile reform, but not for the reasons envisaged by the report's authors - that is, because it will result in a reduction in the range of services funded and save public dollars. Rather, it is a worthwhile initiative because engaging in a transparent and explicit determination of what is in and out of the publicly funded basket is likely to result in more political support for publicly funding a wide range of care rather than less.

Keywords: Mazankowski Report, Health Care, Health Policy, Public/Private Interface in Health Care

Suggested Citation

Flood, Colleen M., The Mazankowski Report: Can We Fix Medicare with More Private Financing?. HealthcarePapers, Vol. 2, No. 4, 2002 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1147681

Colleen M. Flood (Contact Author)

University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada
416-697-4594 (Phone)

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
47
Abstract Views
554
PlumX Metrics