January 4, 2016 | 11 min. 28 sec. | Normandeau-Duhaime (FM 93) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, […]
Funding for medically required care remains almost completely public in Canada.
Is the responsibility for financing health care services being increasingly entrusted to private actors? Is there more private sector funding of care here than in Europe, as some maintain? Contrary to what certain commentators declare, we are not witnessing the gradual privatization of health care funding in Canada. This Economic Note demonstrates that this is a myth, at least when it comes to medically required care, which forms the core of our health care system.
The courts might soon make more room for the private sector in the funding and delivery of care.
Canadian patients still have very few options when it comes to health care services. The provision of care that is considered medically required remains largely monopolized by the public sector in each province. The role of private health insurance is limited solely to the coverage of services not insured by the public system. This Research Paper examines the legal challenges aiming to change Canada’s health care policies.
There is great social mobility in Canada, both from one generation to the next and within individuals’ own lives.
The fate of the poorest members of our society is rightly a recurring subject of concern in economic debates. Certain statements commonly heard can, however, give the impression that there are a lot of low-income people in Canada, and that for the majority of them, poverty is a permanent state. This perception is actually contrary to the observed facts. As we shall see, the results of the available research are clear: Social mobility is high in Canada.
Freedom and wealth creation.
The advantages of having a mixed public-private drug insurance system.
The advantages of having a mixed public-private drug insurance system.
August 12, 2015 | 7 min. 34 sec. | Radio-Canada International Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, on […]
August 11, 2015 | 7 min. 30 sec. | C'est pas trop tôt! (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at […]
August 11, 2015 | 7 min. 50 sec. | Normandeau-Duhaime (FM93) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, on […]
In the last few months, the issue of drug insurance has returned to the forefront of public debate in Canada. Some of those speaking out on the topic have suggested replacing the current mixed public-private system run by the provinces with a fully public national pharmacare plan to make sure everyone is covered and to reduce costs. But this type of plan risks harming Canadians by limiting their access to drugs.
The Quebec subsidized daycare system.
The Quebec subsidized daycare system.
The push for a national pharmacare system.
Price controls and their consequences.
Wealth inequality in Canada.
The timid health care reforms adopted in Quebec over the past decade.
The timid health care reforms adopted in Quebec over the past decade.
Ten years have passed since the Chaoulli decision, handed down by the Supreme Court of Canada in June 2005. The highest court in the land ruled then that when the government is unable to offer access to needed care within a reasonable time frame, the prohibition against purchasing private health insurance is a violation of the right to life and security of patients and runs counter to the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. How have waiting times in Quebec’s public health care system evolved since the Chaoulli decision?
The maple syrup monopoly in Quebec.
The benefits to be gained by entrusting pharmacists with greater responsibilities.
While Quebec’s public health care system struggles to respond adequately to the needs of patients, and the cost of the system continues to rise rapidly, expanding the role of pharmacists in offering front-line services is without a doubt a step in the right direction. These increased responsibilities are likely to improve patients’ access to care and lead to savings, which the public system desperately needs.
Four areas of the health care industry in Canada that are largely private and that work well.
Four areas of the health care industry in Canada that are largely private and that work well.
Four areas of the health care industry in Canada that are largely private and that work well.
March 31, 2015 | 11 min. | Dutrizac, l'après-midi (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, on four […]
The recurring problems with which Canadian patients are faced, such as overcrowded emergency rooms and the inability of seeing a doctor when you need to, regularly occupy the front pages of our daily newspapers. In international rankings, Canada systematically finds itself at the bottom of the pack, among the countries where waiting times for health care are the longest. Yet there exists another health care system, an essentially private one that works well but that does not always get the credit it deserves.
Medical fees and competition.
In the years since the financial crisis of 2008, the free market has taken a beating in the marketplace of ideas. Yet the simple fact remains that the more economic freedom a government leaves in the hands of its people, the better off those people are, not only in terms of basic material well-being, but also in terms of social and individual indicators of human wellbeing. This Economic Note provides a brief overview of economic freedom around the globe.
November 26, 2014 | 12 min. | Pas de midi sans info (Radio-Canada) Debate (in French) with Yanick Labrie, an Economist at […]
November 15, 2014 | 4 min. 25 sec. | Faut pas croire tout ce qu'on dit (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Yanick […]
Private non-profit hospitals are contributing positively to European health care systems.
Of all the components of taxation in Quebec, payroll taxes are without a doubt the least well-known among the general public. While employees may indeed notice a discrepancy between what they receive and what their employers pay out, it is difficult to fully understand the reasons for this. Nor do employees know the magnitude of the sums that their employers must pay to the taxman in addition to the salaries they are paid. This Viewpoint aims to clarify the issue of payroll taxes in order to better grasp their impact on the remuneration of workers.
Few topics of public debate elicit more emotion in people than the role of the private sector in health care. It is often argued that profit has no place in this sector, especially when it comes to hospital care. Some people think that the profit motive would encourage "the cutting of corners," that profit would add to the cost of providing a service, or that for-profit medical facilities would avoid the more complex cases or those perceived to be "less profitable." Are these beliefs justified?
The harmful effects of waiting lists for patients.
The respective contribution of the public and private sectors in the development of new drugs.
The discovery and marketing of countless therapeutic drugs and vaccines over the past century has undeniably helped to revolutionize the field of health care. Despite the scope of this progress and the benefits that have flowed from it, the pharmaceutical sector continues to be the target of numerous criticisms. How are innovative drugs discovered and developed? What do the public sector and the private sector each contribute to the process? The purpose of this Economic Note is to shed some light on these questions.
The role of the private sector in the field of health care.
The increased role of the private sector in the delivery of healthcare services.
Professions that exhibit action bias.
Pharmaceutical research and the betterment of health conditions.
Pharmaceutical research and the betterment of health conditions.
Never before in the history of humanity has there been as rapid an increase in longevity as there was during the 20th century. In industrialized countries, life expectancy at birth has risen from an average of about 50 years in 1900 to a little over 80 years today. A growing number of people can now live not only longer but also healthier than ever before. Indeed, substantial gains in terms of quality-adjusted life expectancy have been recorded for decades in many countries.
Six concrete ideas for reforming Quebec's health care system.
There are some especially important lessons to be drawn from the experiences of Germany, England, Denmark, France and Italy, all countries whose health care systems are based on the principle of universal care. In this publication, the MEI is proposing six concrete ideas for reforming Quebec's health care system that are inspired by the experience of these countries. These reform proposals, which are all interrelated, would likely lead to substantial improvements both to the quality of care provided to patients and to their access to that care.
The supply and demand for private health care services in Quebec.
The adverse effects of policies aiming to reduce public expenses on prescription drugs.
The adverse effects of policies aiming to reduce public expenses on prescription drugs.
The adverse effects of policies aiming to reduce public expenses on prescription drugs.
June 5, 2013 | 6 min. 15 sec. | Gary Doyle Show (570News) Interview with Yanick Labrie, economist and health policy analyst […]
The obsession with reducing public spending on prescription drugs, which takes the form of constantly falling price caps, bulk purchasing strategies and reimbursement restrictions, entails numerous unintended consequences, especially for the health of Canadians. These are the findings of a new study from the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).
Media release :: Government monopoly would reduce the quality of prescription drug coverage
A new national drug plan.
A new national drug plan.
The employment insurance reform.
February 25, 2013 | 9 min. | Paradis le midi (106,9 FM) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, […]
Certain ill-advised public policies are contributing to the increased frequency of drug shortages.
The "Swedish model" of social democracy.
December 12, 2012 | 8 min. 40 sec. | Radio Canada International Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the MEI, […]
Work organization in the public sector in Quebec has long been hindered by various forms of rigidity. Over the past decade, a few timid reforms have been adopted in order to tackle this lack of flexibility, including the decentralization of certain elements of collective bargaining agreements in the health care system. Most of the working conditions of government employees nonetheless continue to be negotiated centrally for the province as a whole. The principle of seniority still occupies a prominent place in collective bargaining agreements.
The financing of health care in Sweeden.
September 18, 2012 | 16 min. 25 sec. | Isabelle Maréchal (CHMP-FM) Interview (in French) with Jasmin Guénette and Yanick Labrie, respectively […]
August 28, 2012 | 5 min. 10 sec. | Isabelle le matin (98,5 FM) Discussion (in French) between Yanick Labrie, economist with […]
July 26, 2012 | 7 min. | Dutrizac le midi (98,5 fm) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, economist at the Montreal […]
The size of government during the reign of the Liberal Party of Quebec.
The shortage of injectable drugs that Canada has been experiencing in recent months is an ongoing headache for health professionals and hospital administrators. Many surgeries had to be postponed recently and clinical treatments had to be suspended due to certain essential drugs, in particular painkillers and anaesthetics, being out of stock. The phenomenon has become so serious that last March, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health called in the main participants and specialists in the pharmaceutical field for special hearings in order to take stock of the situation.
Hospital funding reforms.
Hospital funding reforms.
Hospital funding reforms.
With the Quebec hospital network's difficulties continuing to make headlines, especially when it comes to wait times, calls to reform the way hospitals are funded have become increasingly common in recent months. At the beginning of the year, the director general of the McGill University Health Center and the Quebec Association of Health and Social Services Institutions each in turn proposed that hospitals should from now on be financed according to services provided, as is done in many countries.
May 1st, 2012 | 5 min. 55 sec. | Maurais Live (CHOI Radio X) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, economist at […]
May 1st, 2012 | 4 min. 45 sec. | Dutrizac le midi (98,5FM) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, economist at the […]
The "Occupy Wall Street" movement, which spread to many cities around the world last fall, once again brought the never-ending question of income inequality to the forefront of public debate. Concerns about this issue have also been fed by studies that have appeared over the past year, especially those from the Conference Board of Canada and the OECD. However, even though these studies present data showing that income inequality in Canada has been tending to increase, the interpretation of their conclusions is not as obvious as it might appear at first glance.
The benefits of for-profit private hospitals in Germany.
The benefits of for-profit private hospitals in Germany.
The Canadian health care system is an oddity among developed countries in that the public sector is not only responsible for most of the financing of the health care system, but also has a near complete monopoly on the delivery of hospital care. In Europe, where public financing is as prevalent as in Canada, if not more so, the private for-profit sector has an extensive role to play in delivering service.
Traditional airlines have had a lot of trouble remaining profitable over the past decade. In order to cut costs, they formed partnerships to coordinate ticket sales, flight schedules and baggage handling among other things, while simplifying connections. This need to reduce costs has become even more crucial with recent increases and constant fluctuations in the price of oil and with the greater competition stemming from the arrival of a large number of "low-cost" carriers onto the market.
Health care transfers to the provinces and territories.
Op-ed published exclusively on the Montreal Economic Institute's website.
The potential of entrepreneurial initiatives in health care.
For the past fifteen years, increases in health care spending have outpaced the growth of the Canadian economy. As a result, this spending takes up an increasing share of government budgets. The share of provincial and territorial program spending taken up by health care expenditures reached 37.7% in 2010. Not all sources of increased spending should be viewed as problems, of course. New medical technologies, for instance, even if sometimes quite expensive, can provide valuable services, and perhaps reduce other costs.
October 18, 2011 | 20 min. | Médium Large (Radio-Canada) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the Montreal Economic Institute, […]
The promotional activities of pharmaceutical companies are regularly the target of criticism. Certain commentators imply that these businesses as a group devote too many resources to the promotion of their products, at the expense of their investments in research and development (R&D). Others maintain that these promotional activities alter the prescribing habits of doctors, which leads to a needless or even harmful rise in the consumption of drugs. Do these criticisms stand up to scrutiny?
August 2, 2011 | 12 min. 50 sec. | Maurais Live (Radio X) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at the […]
July 19, 2011 | 14 min. 35 sec. | Le Show du Matin (Radio X) Interview (in French) with Yanick Labrie, Economist at […]
Article published exclusively on the Montreal Economic Institute’s website.
In public policy matters, debates on the health care system are, beyond a doubt, those that cause the greatest controversy. In Quebec, as elsewhere in Canada, the issue of what role should be entrusted to the private sector in the provision of health care services is especially problematic. This is indicated by the strong reactions to the recently published report of the Task Force on the Funding of the Health System, chaired by Claude Castonguay, which some blamed for suggesting a greater participation of private providers as a way toward solving the health care system’s problems.
Eleven ideas from the MEI for getting Quebec out of its torpor.
Onze idées pour changer le Québec : l’IEDM lance un débat ! L’IEDM propose aux Québécois une discussion autour d’idées de réformes qui pourraient être mises en vigueur d’ici cinq ans, la plupart d’entre elles d’ici 12 ou 24 mois. Ces idées ont été discutées dans le Journal de Montréal du 12 janvier 2008.
Publication of an Economic Note on the lessons to learn from Sweden’s economic success in recent years.
In public discussions on the role and size of government in the economy, certain intellectuals and politicians can often be heard praising the Swedish model of economic and social organization. Sweden is a country that has managed to maintain strong economic growth despite high levels of taxation and public spending that ranks among the world’s highest. Since the mid-1990s, Sweden’s economic growth has exceeded that of most other OECD countries, including Canada. According to official statistics, the employment rate is higher and inflation remains low. Public finances are in good shape, with net public debt among the world’s lowest.
Publication of an Economic Note on the issue of foreign outsourcing.
Publication of an Economic Note on the issue of foreign outsourcing.
With markets moving toward increasing globalization, the prospect of seeing companies transfer part of their activities abroad is causing growing alarm. Many are worried in particular about the rising economic influence of some Asian countries such as China and India that can call upon an ample supply of increasingly qualified workers who are willing to work for a fraction of the salaries paid in industrialized countries. Pessimists predict a dark future for labour markets in developed countries if nothing is done to halt job transfers to emerging countries. The temptation may thus be great for Canada to follow the example of the United States, which has already taken protectionist measures to counteract the outsourcing movement.
