Association commends Ontario Liberal Leadership candidate for red and white health card policy
-Wynne announces commitment to speed up elimination of red and white health cards to reduce fraud-
TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Ontario Liberal Leadership Candidate Kathleen Wynne MPP announced yesterday that if elected Premier, she would speed up the elimination of Ontario's red and white health cards as a measure to reduce fraud.
ACT Canada, a non-profit association whose members drive payment evolution and digital identity, commends Ms. Wynne on this prudent move to reduce health card fraud in Ontario.
"We are thrilled that Ms. Wynne has taken leadership on this important issue. Card fraud affects the quality of care for all Ontarians and is the proverbial low hanging fruit when it comes to reducing costly and unnecessary expenditures," said Catherine Johnston, President & CEO of ACT Canada. "We would like to see all Liberal leadership candidates and party leaders announce support for the elimination of red and white cards and investment in even more secure green cards to combat fraud."
Ontario's Auditor General raised concerns of card fraud in his 2003 Annual Report and suggested that the majority of fake cards are used in Toronto and along the Canada-U.S. border.
In May 2011, British Columbia's government acknowledged they had health card fraud with 9.1 million cards for a population of 4.5 million. They are moving to a secure chip-based card.
The Canadian Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (CHCAA) estimates that 2 to 10 per cent health care dollars in North America are lost to fraud. In 2010-11, Ontario spent $44.77 billion on health care, suggesting that potential annual Ontario health care fraud costs could be between $895.4 million and $4.47 billion.
SOURCE: ACT Canada
Media inquiries: Brown & Cohen Communications & Public Affairs Inc. Kaitlynn Dodge 416-835-0257 [email protected].
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