Ontario business group calls for debate into health care costs

It says health care eats up 46 per cent of the Ontario budget, leaving a declining share of revenues for other critical public investments. In addition, says the Chamber, health care costs are growing faster than inflation and provincial revenues and will soar higher as the population ages.

Chamber president Len Crispino says Ontario has applied "band-aid solutions" but lags behind other regions in implementing needed reforms.

He adds that the ability of federal and provincial leaders to openly discuss reforms is hampered by fear of a "public backlash."

The business group says debate is needed into electronic health records for all Ontarians, expansion of the Wait Time Strategy to include all procedures and a quicker system to accredit physicians trained overseas.

Crispino says private health care should also be debated.

"Private delivery of public health care is like the elephant in the room that no one wants to address," he said.

"Yet our publicly funded health care system is already buttressed by numerous private service providers who are accountable for high quality, cost effective services while not restricting access."