The alluring myth of private medicine.

Abstract

Canada's medicare system has provided Canadians with high-quality health care for almost three decades. Now Canadian health care appears to be at risk of losing the single-payer system, which is the premise on which medicare is built. As medicare comes under increasing financial pressure, many are calling for the introduction of private care as a means of bolstering our health care system and maintaining its quality. Although it appears alluring to some politicians, physicians and commentators, privatization could very well lead to the demise of the principles and practices of the Canadian health care system as we know it, with little clear benefit to the public or physicians.