One half support Ontario’s doctors in fee dispute
Nevertheless, high billings seen to be unacceptable
TORONTO April
28th, 2016 - In a random sampling of public
opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1157 Ontario voters, one half support
Ontario’s doctors in their fee dispute with the provincial government (49%),
while about one half this proportion support the provincial government (22%).
More than a tenth support neither in the dispute (13%) and just more have no
opinion (17%).
Supporting the doctors is
especially characteristic of the oldest (56%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K -
53%), in southwestern Ontario (54%), among Progressive Conservatives (66%) but
not among Liberals (32%). Supporting the province in this dispute is common to
the mid aged (45 to 54 - 26%), males (26%), the very wealthiest ($100K to $250K
- 29%), in downtown Toronto (28%), among Liberal voters (34%), and the best
educated (post grad - 29%).
Voters see high billings as excessive
Despite support for the
doctors in their dispute with the province, an identical proportion of voters
think the fact that 500 doctors billed a million dollars or more is "too
much” (49%) in the context of what a doctor should earn in Ontario. For one
quarter, a million dollars is “about the right amount” (27%), while just one
twentieth think it’s “too little” (6%). The wealthiest are the most likely to
see an annual salary of $1 million as “about right” ($80K to $250K - 31%).
When voters are presented
with the single eye doctor who billed more than $6 million, as many as two
thirds ay this is too much (68%), while just one tenth think it is about right
or too little (10% each). A similar proportion has no opinion (13%). Once
again, the wealthiest are the most likely to see this amount as “about right”.
“It is not surprising
Ontarians side with their doctors; these professionals have an extremely bully
pulpit from which to build support for their fee dispute. In the meantime, the
provincial government is not at its most popular, and may not have the
reservoir of goodwill necessary to build support against a groups as well
funded as the OMA," said Forum Research President, Dr.
Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
