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Second Stage of Medicare

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On: Nov. 9, 2010 Home Care Through an Equity Lens

An article in a Globe and Mail series on innovation in health care delivery highlighted the potential of home visits from family physicians to helping people live independently in their own homes. This can both reduce overall system costs through avoiding or delaying institutionalization and significantly improve the quality of people’s lives.

But let’s think a little bigger.  Read the rest of this entry »

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On: Aug. 5, 2010 Health Policy ‘Zombies’: One More Time

UBC health economist Bob Evans famously called arguments that Medicare is unsustainable or that we therefore need privatization zombies: meaning that these ideas are constantly refuted by all the evidence, yet they keep being raised again and again.  Of course, that is because there are powerful interests driving these ideas.  Economist Hugh Mackenzie and health policy consultant Dr Michael Rachlis have done an excellent analysis of how Medicare and a universal health system is sustainable and how the real answers to the pressures facing the system are better policy and management.  They highlight that this debate is essentially political; that the fiscal pressures on health and other sectors come from government decisions to cut taxes and services, as opposed to inherent trends within the health system.  They point the way forward: improved planning and management of care will control costs; service and organizational reforms can drive better quality care; enhanced primary care, health promotion and prevention can keep people well; and seeing all this as part of a comprehensive and integrated Second Stage of Medicare will underlie a vision of good health and well-being for all.

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On: Dec. 7, 2009 Second Stage of Medicare messaging can be effectively used

  • when discussion is focused on problems in the current system and privatization is offered as an option to solve those problems;
  • as an overarching frame when presenting organizational, technical (and not very exciting!) public sector solutions to health care problem;
  • to demonstrate unity of purpose like-minded organizations dedicated to our universal, not-for profit health care system
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On: Dec. 7, 2009 Basic advice when describing the Second Stage of Medicare

  • Talk like a movement
  • Communicate excitement that organizations across Canada are rallying behind the Second Stage of Medicare as way to improve Canadians health and the health care system
  • Be positive: communicate the Second Stage of Medicare is achievable
  • Communicate the Second Stage of Medicare is already happening and point to examples from your own sector, as well as others
  • Repeat the term “Second Stage of Medicare” as many times as possible! We are trying to establish a new term in the public’s mind
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On: Dec. 7, 2009 Communications Tools

Building on the work done by the AOHC, the Wellesley Institute commissioned a number of generic communications tools to help advocates effectively incorporate Second Stage ideas in health reform debates. We hope progressive health organizations will find them useful. We take a creative commons approach to this kind of knowledge mobilization. Please use these tools to advance your own advocacy and community work and adapt them as you need to; acknowledge where the tools and ideas originated; and let us know how it worked out – feedback on the tools and how to promote progressive health reform will benefit us all.

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On: Dec. 4, 2007 OPHA Symposium: Blueprint for Health Equity

Bob Gardner, Director of Research and Policy, presented at the OPHA in November 2007 on health equity, chronic disease, and the social determinants of health. His Blueprint for Health Equity talk sets out promising policy directions and action to reduce health disparities. Read the rest of this entry »

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On: Dec. 7, 2006 Links and resources

  • A discussion paper from the AOHC
  • The AOHC’s 2007 conference focussed on the Second Stage – report of Conference
  • Presentations by Dr Michael Rachlis and others
  • Bob Gardner emphasized these points in a speech on policy frameworks needed to address health disparities and how to mobilize support for health equity