Regina Leader Post
July 23, 1962. p.1
Saskatchewan’s medical care dispute has been settled.
Announcement of agreement between the CCF government and the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons came at 12:45 p.m. in Saskatoon.
The announcement was made by Lord Taylor, Labor peer who has mediated the dispute for the past four days.
The statement, read to reporters by Dr. J. Graham Clarkson, executive director of the medical care insurance commission, said after signing of the agreement, the college will ask members who withdrew all but emergency service July 1, to return to normal practice.
The government will amend the Medical Care Act, enacting the changes agreed upon by doctors and government, at a special session of the legislature.
The government said it hoped changes could be enacted “speedily” but it would be some days before the session could be called and much would depend on the attitude of the opposition.
Further details of the settlement were to be outlined at an afternoon press conference.
Terms also provide that patients will be free to choose their doctors, and doctors will be allowed to practice either in or out of the act.
It also allows GMS and MSI to play a part in the government plan. This will ensure doctors more than one source of income, the statement said.
Settlement seemed in the offing late last week after Health Minister W. G. Davis welcomed the college proposals.
The government prepared a draft legislation, but differences arose delaying final settlement. Informants said Britain’s Lord Taylor acted as the catalyst in the settlement in his role as a go-between in government-doctor negotiations.
The Labor peer, an architect of Britain’s national health plan, was brought here by the Saskatchewan government in an advisory capacity.
Dr. Dalgleish’s proposals called for a special session of the legislature to pass amendments to the Medical Care Act to allow doctors to practice outside of it. It also asked for negotiated amendments affecting the powers of the Medical Care Insurance Commission and the cabinet.
The proposal accepted the principle of universal compulsory medical coverage, long opposed by the college, and withdrew a doctors’ demand for suspension of the act as a prelude to ending the boycott.
Also asked for was a refund system of payment of medical bills under which the patient pays the doctor directly and collects later from the Medical Care Commission or a private health insurance plan.
Existing insurance schemes would be permitted to continue operations. Patients would be allowed to have such private agencies claim reimbursement on their behalf from the Medical Care Insurance Commission.
Dr. Dagleish said passage of the amendments would bring doctors back to normal private practice.
The latest round of talks began Friday. The college’s governing council met for more than nine hours Sunday, adjourning its talks at 12:30 a.m. today. The council was to meet again today.
See DISPUTE page five
