OTTAWA, ON / APRIL 14, 2021 / Member organizations of HEAL, Organizations for Health Action, met today with the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance the Hon. Mona Fortier to discuss the health community’s budget priorities for 2021.
“Our membership and I are very grateful for the touchpoint with Finance Canada today ahead of next week’s Federal Budget 2021,” said François Couillard, Co-Chair of HEAL and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Association of Optometrists. “Our members represent the greater health community in Canada and most of their individual members have been at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 last year. While the pandemic has delayed us from continuing to think about the future of health care services and delivery, we remain committed to helping shape the future of health care for all Canadians in an environment that is changing, evolving, and with an increasingly older population—all of which require funding and adaptation as we move forward.”
HEAL’s members include those representing regulated health care providers working within the public sector, those working in communities and in the private sector, as well as organizations that deliver health care services to Canadians.
In February 2021, six recommendations were made by HEAL to Finance Canada as part of its pre-budget consultations.
2021 Federal Budget Recommendations
RECOMMENDATION 1: That the federal government, working with provinces and territories, increase investments in community, home and residential care to meet the needs of our aging population, to ensure that all individuals receive the necessary care and services, in the appropriate setting, at the right time and by the right provider.
RECOMMENDATION 2: That the federal government implement a demographic top-up transfer that would be allocated based on the increased provincial-territorial health care costs due to population aging, with the federal contribution set to the current share of the CHT as a percentage of provincial-territorial health spending.
RECOMMENDATION 3: That the federal government, working in partnership with the provinces, territories and others, fund sustainable, evidence-based mental health services to meet the growing demand for timely access to care, and formally recognize Mental Health Parity in legislation.
RECOMMENDATION 4: That the federal government increase its initial investment of
$50 million over five years in the national dementia strategy to $150 million to ensure measurable and timely progress on the strategy’s vision and national objectives.
RECOMMENDATION 5: That the federal government provide greater financial assistance through benefits, tax credits, and job protection for caregivers to ensure they are not penalized financially for stepping into a caregiver role, including those caregivers in long-term care.
RECOMMENDATION 6: That the federal government provide support for seniors and marginalized vulnerable populations to maximize their use of digital technologies such as virtual care and wellness programs.
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HEAL, Organizations for Health Action, is a coalition of 40 national health organizations dedicated to improving the health of Canadians and the quality of care they receive. Our members are professional associations of regulated health care providers and organizations of health charities that provide a range of health care services across Canada. HEAL now represents more than 650,000 providers (and consumers) of health care.
For more information and to access our Beyond COVID-19 report and our Submission for the Pre-Budget Consultations, visit www.healthaction.ca.
SOURCE:
Carlos A. Godoy L.
Impact Public Affairs
514-703-4208
carlos.godoy@impactcanada.com