REGINA - The opposition New Democrats are again on the attack over the Sask Party government referring women to Calgary for breast cancer diagnostics.
At a media availability at the Legislature Tuesday, Opposition Ethics and Democracy critic Meara Conway took aim at the sole-source contract with Calgary-based Clearpoint to provide those diagnostics at a private clinic to help cut down on wait times. Conway pointed to leaked government emails, alleging that patients who were given the offer to go the Calgary clinic were choosing not to over cost concerns.
“Saskatchewan women urgently needing diagnostic care like mammograms are being referred to Calgary clinics, clinics owned by Sask Party donors. Yet multiple women, despite being deemed high enough risk to be eligible for the program, have declined cancer care in Calgary. They can't afford it and the Sask Party knows that,” said Conway.
One of the leaked emails, from March 3, stated that “there have been patients that chose not to go to Calgary due to costs.”
Conway also pointed to a quote from a March 6 email that stated “I completely agree with you that it is unfortunate that some women can't participate in this initiative because they don't have a reliable vehicle to get them to Calgary or can't afford airfare.”
“No cash, no car, no mammogram. That's not how it should be,” Conway said.
She also noted that the contract for the private clinic, run by Clearpoint, was extended last month. Conway once again pointed to its subsidiary Surgical Centres Inc. having donated $16,500 to the Sask Party since 2016 and pointed to their hiring of former Sask Party MLA and Finance Minister Kevin Doherty as lobbyist.
“We need more health care workers and more services here at home, not more sweetheart sole source deals with Sask Party donors that leave Saskatchewan women unable to access basic health care,” said Conway.
When pressed by reporters Conway said the government emails indicated that “this is obviously a systemic issue, because you have a government official saying, yeah, we acknowledge there are many women or there are women who aren't accessing this because of cost… During estimates this is a question we'll ask the government. I'd be shocked if they disclose that to us or if they're even tracking it. But they obviously know what's happening. That is a good question and I will get you that answer.”
As for how many individuals have had to turn down treatment in Calgary due to costs, the NDP was not able to provide specific numbers.
Conway also accused the Sask Party of not “stepping forward with a long-term plan to get these services back in Saskatchewan.
“They've made announcements but we haven't heard you know details. We certainly haven't seen any action and now we see them doubling down on this out-of-province approach with this sole-source contract. Another extension of a of a year.”
Sask Today has received the following response from the Ministry of Health to the NDP's media availability:
"While the cost of most medically necessary procedures are publicly funded, the costs of travel accommodation and meals to access medical services are not normally insured under the Saskatchewan health system.
