March 30, 2005                                                                                                                               BY FACSIMILE

                                                                                                                                                                     424-0559

Hon. Angus MacIsaac

Minister of Health

P.O. Box 488

Halifax, N.S.  B3J 2R8

Dear Hon. MacIsaac:

 We are writing about the information for Nova Scotia that is included in the 2003-2004 Canada Health Act Annual Report which was just released in February.  In particular, we are concerned with the information provided on page 70 of that report under the heading of “Private For-Private Facilities”. 

 We would like to know exactly which specific private, for profit surgical facility is included for the years 1999-00 to 2003-04.  Whoever it was performed a decreasing number of insured hospital services in that time period.  If this is referring to the Morgentaler abortion clinic, it was closed in November 2003.  We also wonder why there is no apparent reference to the Private MRI Clinic in Halifax under diagnostic imaging facilities which opened in August 2002.  

 We therefore wonder about the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information that was provided by your Department to Health Canada.  As you may know, the Federal Auditor General reported in 2002 that Health Canada “is unable to tell Parliament the extent to which health care delivery in each province and territory complies with the criteria and conditions” of the Canada Health Act.   If the section of the information is not fully accurate or complete, we strongly believe that your Department should be taking steps to advise Health Canada and Nova Scotians as soon as possible to ensure a full assessment of how well the Canada Health Act is being followed in our province.

On a related matter, we question why it is so difficult to find out on your department’s website what specific insured services are covered in this province.  The closest reference is to that of Nova Scotia’s Health Card.  We wonder why a specific listing of insured services could not also be provided as is done in your Department’s submission for this Annual Report. 

 We look for hearing from you about what appear to us to be serious shortcomings in your Department’s reporting for the Annual Report.

Yours sincerely,

  Debbie L. Kelly, Chairperson

Nova Scotia Citizens Health Care Network

c.         Maureen MacDonald, NDP Health Critic

                Dave Wilson, Liberal Health Critic

                Canadian Health Coalition

                NS Auditor General

Federal Auditor General

Network Organizations