Tuesday, March 5, 1968 The Committee suggests that costs might escalate at an annual rate of 5%, but I find it difficult to agree with this figure. From the minutes of the Atlantic Provinces Health Planning Committee held at Charlottetown last August, I find a chart used at that meeting showing that the Doctor's average net income in Sask¬ atchewan increased in the two year period, following the introduction of Medicare in 1902, by over 60%. No one has yet suggested an adequate way of controlling the cost of medical services and I would fear that any compulsory government plan of Medicare would result in uncontrollable increase in cost. Finally, in the Recommendations Section of the Report we note: "Your Medical Care Committee is not convinced that there is a need to establish a universal medical care insurance plan to cover all citizens of Prince Edward Island ." I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. The basic faults of the Federal plan are the rigid 90-95% coverage demanded and the Federal refusal to pay their share of the cost of administration. I believe the provinces find the Federal Government approach very hard to understand. The has entered an area of provincial jurisdiction and has made all the rules, without consultation with the provinces. Then they hand it to us on a "take it or leave it" basis. If the Federal Government would modify the coverage requirement and share the cost of administration, this Province would readily accept the plan and offer Medicare to all our citizens. I would not like to report on the activities of the Municipal Affairs Department. L. George Dewar : The Minister might repeat that last statement where he refers to the Federal Government. Hon . Keir Clark : If the Federal Government would modify the coverage requirement and share the cost of administration this province would readily accept the plan and offer Medicare to all our citizens. L. George Dewar : What modifications would you expect the Federal Government to make? Hon . Keir Clark : I would expect them to wipe out the 90-95% clause, entirely. L. George Dewar : That is a contradiction: you say if they would wipe that out, then you would give it to all. Hon . Keir Clark : We would "offer" it to all. L. George Dwar : "Offer" it to all. Hon . Keir Clark : This is not a compulsory plan. We then could put it on a premium basis, and offer the same as Saskatchewan and Columbia. I don't believe in the compulsion of this thing. I think the other plan should be there too, but if they would offer us a plan where they would anticipate 50% of the cost, then, I think it could operate in this Province quite effectively on a premium basis. My statement is we could then "offer" it to all. L. George Dewar : You don't agree with the compulsory factors? Hon . Keir Clark : I don't like the compulsory factors. 58% of our people are covered now, and was it 37,000 I said earlier that have insurance plans of their own? Walter R. Shaw : Do you think there would be the slightest intimation on the part of the Federal Government to meet that? Hon . Keir Clark : Well I think most all provinces have suggested that this.. Walter R. Shaw : I think that is right. Hon . Keir Clark : The 90-95% requirement should be removed, or at least greatly modified. This Province is the one that suffers most because, along with the Prov¬ ince of Quebec, we have this 58% coverage, the lowest in Canada . Some provinces are covered 75-80% with existing plans and, of course, Saskatchewan is covered under their universal plan at 100%. —133—