As a result of a survey of 1,001 adults nationwide from the 19th to the 23rd of last month by Ipsos, a polling company commissioned by Global News, 59% of the respondents said they supported the operation of a private hospital supported by public funds.
60% of respondents were in favor of private health care for those who can afford expensive medical care.
Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker said he hadn’t seen such a change in support for privatization in opinion polls in the past 30 years.
“This is the first time that the majority of respondents said they could consider private health care,” he said.
Maintaining the public health care system is a key issue in Canadian politics, and privatization of health care has often been raised, but each time it has encountered strong reluctance and resistance.
He said that these discussions have raised fears about changing to an American-style private health care system in the public.
However, Bricker analyzed that attitudes towards privatization of health care are changing, given that the majority (85%) of the survey believe that the current health system needs drastic changes. It is presumed that this is because of the inconvenience of having to wait for a long time to receive surgery at a public hospital.
By province, Quebecers are most open to private hospitals, including private health services for those who can afford them. This idea was supported by 75% of Quebecers surveyed, 15 points above the national average.
By generation, the MZ generation had the highest tendency to support private medical services. However, middle-aged people aged 55 and older, who make up a significant portion of the voters, are most attached to the public health system, and their approval rating has declined.
Meanwhile, medical experts point out that the biggest problem of the public health system is manpower shortage, and that the public may not be aware of the limited number of doctors and nurses working in private hospitals.