BC FORUM News - from The Advocate, December 2014

Double billing and for-profit health care must be stopped

Closed-door negotiations currently underway between the B.C. government and Cambie Surgery Corporation owner Dr. Brian Day will determine the future of public health care in B.C., says the B.C. Health Coalition.

A partial audit of Day’s for-profit surgery clinic found he had unlawfully billed patients almost half a million dollars in just one month. When he was ordered to stop breaking the law, he refused and launched a court challenge instead.

Shortly before the case was set to go to trial, Day requested a delay in order to negotiate with the province.

The Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, who are interveners in the legal challenge, say the province must actively enforce the law and ensure there is restitution for patients who have been overbilled.

BC FORUM is actively monitoring developments in this important case. We are working to help ensure all British Columbians will have access to quality public health care, and not be forced to pay thousands of dollars to for-profit clinics.

In response to questions raised by BC FORUM President Diane Wood, the Official Opposition’s health spokesperson says, “The New Democrat caucus shares your concerns about this unlawful practice (double-billing of health services at Day’s health clinics) and have taken a strong position against it.”

“We believe the B.C. Liberal government must make it clear that the double-billing of B.C. patients will not be tolerated, and those found to be breaking the law will be held accountable,” said Judy Darcy.

She adds that in order to get a clear picture of the extent of unlawful billing, and to hold to account those who are responsible, the BC NDP supports a comprehensive audit of all of Dr. Day’s clinics and physicians.

“The government has a responsibility to protect our health care system so that everyone has fair and equitable access to care, not just a select few who can afford more.

“We will continue to call on the B.C. Liberal government to focus on innovating B.C.’s public system and coming up with solutions that will reduce wait lists and improve access to the benefit of every British Columbian,” said Darcy. Debating the issue in the Legislature on Oct. 21, Darcy said the private clinics operated by Day and his associates “have been actively flouting the law in B.C. for many years by extra-billing patients for medically necessary procedures, and they’ve been getting away with it.”

She said the goal of their legal case is to allow a parallel American-style private insurance system to flourish for essential medical services – the kind of system that has driven U.S. health costs up to 50 percent higher while leaving millions of people without coverage.

“Negotiations between Brian Day and the government of B.C. have now moved behind closed doors, and British Columbians are deeply concerned about what’s happening in those secret negotiations.

“I have personally heard from over 1,500 individuals about this. British Columbians are worried about whether the B.C. government will defend their interests in these secret negotiations. They want Dr. Day and his clinics to be held accountable for breaking the law. They say that patients who have been illegally double-billed deserve restitution. They believe, and my colleagues and I and the official opposition do, that a full and comprehensive audit of Dr. Day’s clinics and physicians must be conducted to get a full picture of the extent of unlawful billing,” said Darcy.

“A partial audit from 2012 showed that in just a 30-day period, the Cambie Surgery Centre billed patients half a million dollars for services that were publicly insured. The clinic was ordered to stop doublebilling, yet almost three years later it continues, and no one has been held accountable for violating B.C.’s laws.”

Darcy said British Columbians want action to strengthen public health care and end two-tier care.