Medicare 2.0

As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the flaws in our healthcare system have become glaringly obvious. Each wave of the pandemic reignites concerns about the state of long-term care homes and renews existing calls to improve our healthcare system.There are critical gaps in our current healthcare system, including access to long-term care, community-based mental health, and prescription drugs - gaps that are exacerbated by differential access based on race, gender, geography, or immigration status. We need a truly comprehensive health system that spans acute to chronic care and hospitals to community-based services and public health, and that covers residents in Canada from the cradle to the grave and provides access to programs and services of the highest possible quality. This research paper urges the government to expand public health care and outlines why it is critical to do so now, during COVID-19, calling for establishing comprehensive mental health services, making long-term care part of medicare, and implementing universal pharmacare now. This report is part of our Essential Solutions Project, which brings together experts across multiple disciplines to generate innovative answers to the complex challenges we face right now, and chart a path towards a more equitable and resilient future for all of us. Download Medicare2.0 - Report