Medicare week celebrated with book launch

OTTAWA — To mark National Medicare Week, November 18-24, the Canadian Health Coalition and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives are launching a new book entitled Medicare: Facts, Myths, Problems, Promise. The book is based on contributions to a remarkable conference ... S.O.S. Medicare 2: Looking Forward. The conference, held at the University of Regina, was inspired by Tommy Douglas Vision for the Future of Medicare and brought together an unprecedented cast of health care icons: Shirley Douglas, Monique Begin, and Tom Kent, to Allan Blakeney, Roy Romanow, Stephen Lewis and Robert McMurtry, MD. Contributors also include leading health policy experts, economists, doctors, nurses and people representing the whole spectrum health care providers.

-I encourage Prime Minister Harper and CMA president Dr. Brian Day to read this book and commit to working together to fix problems rather than using the problems as an excuse to go back to the days before Medicare ˜ when doctors could charge whatever they wanted and care was rationed on the basis of ability to pay not need," said Shirley Douglas.

For anyone who cares about the future of Medicare, this book offers a unique source of reliable, independent information and analysis. At a time when ideologues and advocates of privatization capture much of the attention of the media and politicians, this collection is an invaluable source of information and ideas. Celebrate National Medicare Week by picking up a copy of this book today.

Medicare supporters from across Canada are marking National Medicare Week with a variety activities, including public screenings of Michael Moore‚s new film, SiCKO (now available on DVD).

For more information about the book or to order a copy on-line, click here.