A private magnetic resonance imaging clinic in Red Deer is among a number of private, for-profit clinics suspected of violating the Canada Health Act, according to a national public health care lobby group.

The Canadian Health Coalition names Central Alberta Medical Imaging Services Ltd. in its Eroding Public Medicare report released this week. It investigated 130 private clinics and found 89 suspected violations in five provinces, including Alberta.

The Canada Health Act was created to ensure all Canadians have access to public health care on uniform terms and conditions.

The coalition reports that some clinics appear to be selling two-tier health care and are extra billing patients for medically necessary services.

Volunteers conducted the research over a 13-month period during 2007 and 2008.

They investigated three clinics in Calgary, three in Edmonton and one in Red Deer.

The coalition researcher was told he could buy an MRI exam at the Red Deer clinic, with the price starting at $725 depending on the scan. Queue-jumping is also encouraged, according to the coalition.

“Our researcher was told that if he chose to obtain a scan publicly there would be a waiting list, where there is none for a privately purchased scan,” says the report.

MRIs are used to scan for cancers, injuries, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

Central Alberta Medical Imaging Services officials couldn’t be reached for comment on Wednesday and Thursday.

The clinic has been open since early 2007.

Bob Pearce, a spokesman with David Thompson Health Region, said the matter is something the health region wouldn’t comment on.

Friends of Medicare, an Alberta lobby group promoting public health care, is part of the coalition.

“In our view, since it is law, the federal government should be enforcing the (Canada Health Act),” said Red Deer chapter chair Ken Collier.

Collier said these clinics undermine the public health system.

For one thing, skilled medical staff are lured away from the already short-staffed public health system, he noted.

Collier added it’s appropriate that this report be released within a week of a federal election.

The ruling Conservatives hope to be re-elected on Tuesday.

“To me, this is the ideal time to have a discussion around this,” Collier said. “We would like the parties and candidates say what they would do about enforcing the Canada Health Act.”

Stuart Somerville, New Democrat candidate for Red Deer, said his party fully supports upholding the federal Health Act.

“And we’d halt and remove all private clinics. We see these as a bit of an attack on Canadian rights.”

Red Deer Liberal candidate Garfield Marks said his party has traditionally withheld health care funds from provinces that support private health care or a two-tier system.

“I think the Liberals would continue to do that,” he said.

Red Deer Conservative candidate Earl Dreeshan said he anticipates Health Canada would investigate the report’s findings on suspected violations.

“The Conservative party has been strong in its defence of the Canada Health Act and I assume they will continue to do so,” Dreeshan said. “There are lots of examples of other provinces where they have taken action, where they felt there were concerns.”

“We are against a two-tier system. I know that is quite explicit in our policy,” said Evan Bedford, Green Party candidate for Red Deer.

Contact Laura Tester at ltester@reddeeradvocate.com