The Fraser Institute says surgical wait lists cost the Canadian economy over one billion dollars last year.
The think-tank’s study author, Nadeem Ismail, says waiting for treatment means many people aren’t able to work – and the cost works out to around 11-hundred dollars for each Canadian waiting in line.
“We have to look to countries like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, where we find universal access healthcare systems without wait for treatment…it is possible to have universal healthcare without waiting lists but we have to get the policies right.”
Ismail says that includes allowing private competition for the delivery of health care.
He was speaking on the CKNW Morning News.
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