The British Columbia government is yet to seek a warrant so it can conduct its audit into Brian Day's private surgery clinic.
In November the health ministry said it would seek the warrant so it could audit Cambie Surgeries Corp., which Day has admitted was extra billing. Extra billing—charging a fee for a health service while also being paid through the public health system—is illegal in Canada.
But as of last week the ministry still had not got the warrant, which a September court ruling said was all they needed to audit Day's clinic.
“We understand discussions are ongoing with the lawyers representing Cambie with respect to moving forward with the audit on a consensual basis - which would negate the need for a warrant,” a health services ministry spokesperson said. “No formal agreement has been reached as yet.”
Day had said in November that such a negotiation was underway.
“We've had repeated admissions they're breaking the law,” said NDP health critic Adrian Dix, noting the case goes back to at least 2007. “It's time that we got on with it and audited them and got a warrant.”
Health ministers are responsible for enforcing the law, he said. Finance minister Colin Hansen is serving as health minister, having replaced Kevin Falcon who is running to lead the B.C. Liberal Party. Another leadership candidate, George Abbott, was health minister before Falcon.
“It's really dereliction of duty on the part of successive ministers of health, two of whom are leadership candidates,” said Dix.
Asked about his own interest in leading the NDP, by the way, a job that came open earlier this week, Dix said, “There's certainly no decision made yet.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
6
Login or register to post comments
Jeannie
1 year ago
Falcon and Big Pharma
On November 23, the Globe and Mail printed a story that described how the Ministry of Health, under Minister Falcon, substantially increased the role of pharmaceutical companies in the drug approval process. Not only will this substantially increase the amount of the strained health budget which is spent on drugs, but could result in the approval of drugs of questionable value.
What is the movitivation for this? Is there a link between the drug companies and the potential future Premier? Why was this story not picked up by other media?
Below is a link to the Globe and Mail story followed by a summary.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/critics-decry-change-in-drug-approval-process/article1810990/
"British Columbia’s applauded independent drug-approval process is being dramatically altered to make room for more input by pharmaceutical companies, a change decried by critics as potentially harmful to consumers, a conflict of interest and likely to increase spending on drugs.
An internal health ministry document says there will now be four separate opportunities for drug marketers to make their case while new products are being considered for coverage by B.C.’s PharmaCare plan.
At the same time, the government’s long-standing drug review body with an arms-length distance from the industry is being abolished. The Therapeutics Initiative’s cautious approach to drug approvals has been credited with saving lives and helping B.C. maintain the lowest per capita spending on prescription drugs in the country.
Michael McBane of the Canada Health Coalition said no other provincial drug plan allows as much industry involvement as B.C. is proposing."
Skywalker
1 year ago
To Adrian
Atta boy! Go get those bastards!
Sask Resident
1 year ago
Federal Law
The Canada Health Act does not allow extra billing with the loss of federal health funding if the province allows it to occur. So the Provincial Minister will not investigate the issue since the may then lose $millions in federal transfers.
dipper chic
1 year ago
Tacked on ending re: leadership
If the author can tack on a completely unrelated question about NDP leadership to a health article, I might as well poorly segue to this link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2319454899#!/pages/Draft-Mike-Farnworth-for-BC-NDP-Leader/112215175513449
(he's our only hope for winning a general election)
Skywalker
1 year ago
Sorry to burst you bubble dipper chic...
...but if Farnworth gets the nomination he will lose the battle.
Van Isle
1 year ago
Skywalker is right
Atta boy Adrian don't let the corrupt Liberal pricks get away with bugger all. Please encourage the rest of your NDP MLA's go after them too and don't let up, don't give a friggin inch.