Opposition mounting to Bill C-31 and cuts to Refugee health funding.

A variety of health care organizations and groups have been mounting pressure on the government to reverse its decision on reducing the Interim Federal Health Fund (IFHF) and declaring certain new refugees ineligible for health care benefits if it does not put the public at risk (see DrPHealth Bill C-31 proposed treatment of refugees)

The impacts of the cuts can be found at  http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/summary-ifhp.asp   

Notably are the following on the wires, additional links will be added as received.

Canadian Association of Community Health Centres CACHC news release  with some on-line petitions to sign.

Canadian Doctors for Medicare Docs for medicare letter 

Coverage of physicians protesting in the MLA office Star coverage of physician occupation  CBC coverage  (nice to see Phil Berger’s name surfacing – he was instrumental in forcing more ethical interactions with the pharmaceutical industry )  

Globe and Mail editorial of why cuts will cost money let along are unhumanitarian  Globe and Mail

Healthy Debate blog from St. Michaels Cuts to IFHP 

Tweeters – check out @RefugeeHealth for more and join the conversation. 

The rage is mounting.  Regrettably Bill C-31 is through committee stage and was presented to the house on May 14^th and will likely slip into 3^rd reading imminently despite the growing outrage.   Consider expressing your opinion.  Notably, the cuts to the IFHF, while linked to the refugee reform process are not inherent in legislation and may be open to reversal through public demand even if C-31 passes 3^rd reading.

Please be sure to communicate any further updates or interpretations to drphealth@gmail.com