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New pilot project won’t open door to privatize Quebec healthcare: Barrette

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Privatizing Quebec healthcare
WATCH ABOVE: Quebec health minister Gaétan Barrette insists there is no fear the government is opening the door to privatizing healthcare with a new pilot project – Feb 24, 2016

QUEBEC CITY – Quebec’s health minister has launched a new project to create a better benchmark to understand why some surgeries cost more at different facilities.

“This is not normal. We have to, at some point, take responsibility and make sure that we have the parameters with which we can manage our network,” said Gaétan Barrette.

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Though the project involves three private clinics, Barrette denies the government is opening the door to privatized healthcare.

Instead, the aim is to compare the costs of day surgeries in both private and public clinics, while focusing on five regions: Montréal, Montérégie, Laval, the Laurentides and Lanaudière.

During the pilot project, people on the public wait list will have access to private surgeries at three clinics: le Centre de chirurgie Rockland MD, la clinique Chirurgie Dix30 and le Groupe Opmédic.

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The project, which is expected to cost $4 million, will start in May and end Dec. 31, 2018.

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