The BC NDP are calling out two Vancouver Island Conservative Party of BC candidates for openly endorsing “American-style two-tier” healthcare.
Tim Thielmann, BC Conservative Candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill said in a healthcare discussion in late September that if elected, the Tories would consider implementing a system which would see some British Columbians pay out of their own pockets for access to doctors and medical services.
“You know, talking about the Australian model and models in Europe where you have a hybrid system or a two-tier system, call it what you want,” said Thielmann.
“Where if people want to purchase private insurance, want to pay out of pocket, and you know where doctors want to run their own practices and charge either the publicly insurable rate or rates that are above that, they can do that, and they have the freedom to do so.”
Thielmann added that a two-tier system is not what the Conservatives are proposing now, though they would push for more private/public partnerships.
However, this differs from what the Conservatives were saying early on in the campaign. Before they released their official platform, they said they wanted to provide people who can afford it the ability to spend less time on waitlists.
“These aren’t comments from a few years ago or even a few months ago—multiple BC Conservative candidates on Vancouver Island are campaigning on the idea of bringing American-style two-tier health care to BC,” said Grace Lore, BC NDP candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill and opponent to Thielmann.
“John Rustad plans to cut billions out of health care, which means fewer doctors and nurses. It’s clear where he’s headed—towards two-tier healthcare that will mean longer waits and worse care for you.”
Rustad’s current healthcare budget plan would see $3.2 billion less invested in healthcare than the BC NDP.
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In addition to the remarks of Thielmann, North Island Conservative candidate Anna Kindy described a system where some people “pay from their own pockets.”
“But eventually what happens is, you know, you open up to a private system, which we already have, but you open it up so that there’s competition and some people will want to pay,” said Anna Kindy, BC Conservative Candidate for North Island, at campaign event in late September.
“So you get them off the list so they pay from their own pockets because they want to.”
The BC NDP say this type of system will only benefit the wealthy.
“Two-tier health care would mean a few wealthy people get to skip the line, while healthcare gets worse for the rest of us. Those aren’t our values in BC,” said Michelle Babchuk, NDP candidate for North Island and opponent to Kindy. .
“John Rustad’s plan would mean waiting longer for worse care. It’s a risk families on Vancouver Island can’t afford.”
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