Canada Can Find a Third Way, but Private Insurance Is Not a Silver Bullet

Canada's public healthcare system grapples with persistent challenges, including long waiting times and limited coverage for essential services. Fierlbeck and Berman propose a "third way" for Canadian healthcare, which involves a greater role for private service provision and private insurance, alongside improved price controls and efficiency measures. While they provide many sensible policy ideas, several critical issues require clarification, particularly the definition of private insurance, the scope of services it would cover and the potential financial impact on low-income populations. Rather than leaning heavily on private insurance and market-based solutions, expanding the public benefits package and reinforcing regulatory frameworks for integrating private capacity would be more equitable and sustainable paths forward.