2019 Election National Listening Tour An Aging Population May 22, 2019 © 2019 Ipsos. All rights reserved. Contains Ipsos' Confidential and Proprietary information and may not be disclosed or reproduced without the prior written consent of Ipsos. © 2019 Ipsos. Introduction and Methodology • Canadians consistently rank health care as the most important issue facing the country. Yet, federal political parties, regardless of whether they sit on the right or left, have opted over the last few elections to not prioritize federal leadership to address health and health care shortfalls in their party election platforms. • As part of The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) National Listening Tour, Ipsos conducted a national on-line survey and focus groups with physicians and the general public across Canada in late February/early March. (See Methodology in Appendix for details). • The objective of the research was to gain a deep understanding of Canadians’ views regarding the future of health care in Canada. • In total, 3,352 Canadians completed survey between February 25 and March 4, 2019. The survey data weighted by: Gender, Age, Region and Education in line with the latest Census. A survey of this nature has a credibility interval +/-1.9%. • Follow-up 90-min focus groups with Canadians were conducted in St John’s, Oakville, Montreal and Victoria. © 2019 Ipsos. 2 Health Care and Aging in an Election Year ❖ Canadians are aware and worried about the country’s aging population, and the financial burden this will place on the health care system. ❖ Canadians desire action on this issue. Aside from pharmacare, the top policies that are seen most likely to very much improve the health system, and make people much more likely to vote for a political party are related to senior care: – Increased funding from the federal government to help provinces cover the rising costs of health care for seniors ❖ Older Canadians are most concerned about health and health care, and are most willing to cast their vote on the matter, with two-thirds saying they will vote for the party they think has the best plan for the future of health care. ❖ The aging population and health care is something that worries all Canadians, and it could be a vote decider if a federal party can seize the issue with a concrete plan to address it. – A new family care benefit to provide financial assistance so that more seniors can afford the care options they need © 2019 Ipsos. 3 An Aging Population Nine in ten Canadians are worried about the growing number of seniors who will require greater health care (88%) and the costs our aging population will pose on the health system (88%), with over half saying these worry them a great deal. The Growing Number of Seniors Who Will Require Greater Health Care Increased Cost to the Health System Due to an Aging Population 11% 12% 32% © 2019 Ipsos. 88% Worried Worries me a great deal 88% Worries me a bit 56% 37% 52% Worried Q4C. Thinking about the future of health care please indicate how you feel about each of the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 5 In line with these worries, 7 in 10 Canadians believe the health system requires new funding from the federal government to help provinces with the rising costs of health care for seniors, including over a third who strongly agree with this. Health System Requires New Funding from Fed Gov’t to Help Provinces Cover Rising Costs of Health Care for Seniors 10% 4% 16% 69% 36% Agree 33% © 2019 Ipsos. Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither Disagree Don't know Six in 10 Canadians also believe that many Canadians well delay their retirement in order to afford health care. Many Canadians are going to delay their retirement so they can afford health care 13% 24% 8% 20% Strongly agree 58% Agree 34% © 2019 Ipsos. Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) Somewhat agree Neither Disagree Don't know Just behind a federal pharmacare program, increased funding to provinces for senior care, and a new family care benefit to help seniors afford care options are seen as the policies most likely to improve the health system, and are also the most likely to sway votes. A federal pharmacare program to help Canadians afford prescription medication 38% 35% Increased funding from the federal government to help provinces cover the rising costs of health care for seniors, such as more home care services and long-term care 34% 31% A new family care benefit to provide financial assistance so that more seniors can afford the care options they need 29% % Very much improve health system 29% Increased funding from the federal government to increase access to mental % Much more likely to vote health and addiction treatment services 26% 24% New federal legislation to allow physicians and other health providers to practice in all provinces 25% 20% Increased federal funding to make virtual care and digital health tools more available to Canadians 19% 19% © 2019 Ipsos. Q8B. For each of the policy proposals below please indicate, how much you believe it would improve the health system. Base: All respondents (n=3351) Q8C. And what is the likelihood of you voting for a political party that adopted each of the policy proposals below… Base: All respondents (n=3351) 8 Older Canadians and Health Care TOP 10 ISSUES – PERSONAL WORRIES Health tops the list of worries for Canadians, this is even more pronounced among older Canadians (55 and over), with personal physical health and access to health services 20+ points higher than younger Canadians. Personal Worries Personal physical health 35% Making enough money to maintain lifestyle I want 32% Impact of climate change 30% Getting access to health services 29% Paying a mortgage/rent/bills 27% Maintaining a steady income 26% Income tax Personal mental health Buying groceries 55+ (50%) vs. 35-54 (30%), 18-34 (20%) 55+ (44%) vs. 35-54 (24%), 18-34 (14%) 18% 16% 18-34 (26%) vs. 35-54 (15%), 55+ (9%) 12% Crime in my community 10% © 2019 Ipsos. Q2A. What are the top things that worry you personally? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 10 TOP 10 ISSUES – WORRIES FOR CANADA Unsurprisingly, this worry over health extends to health care being the top worry for the country, with those 55 and over being the most concerned. Worries for Canada Health care 51% 18-34 35-54 65% 53% Health of the economy 45% Climate Change 55+ 42% Political corruption 39% Taxes 38% Immigration © 2019 Ipsos. 39% 32% Inflation 25% US politics 25% Education 23% Crime 23% Q2B. What are the issues that worry you the most for Canada? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 11 OUTLOOK ON FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE IN YOUR PROVINCE Older Canadians are also decidedly more negative about the future of the health care system in their own provinces than those under 35. Positive: 41% Negative: 49% 10% 7% 34% 18-34 53% 55% 35-54 55+ Very positive 11% Somewhat positive 34% Somewhat negative Very negative 37% © 2019 Ipsos. Do not know enough to say Q4A. Overall, how would you describe the future for the health care system in your province? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 12 FUTURE PAYMENTS OF HEALTH CARE Canadians 55 and over are most likely to believe that inaction to improve the health system will result in having to pay more out of pocket for health care, and paying more taxes. If we don’t act to improve the health system immediately everyone is going to have to… Pay more out of pocket for health care in the future 70% % Agree 35% 58% 25% Pay more taxes 70% 77% 35% 42% 35% 33% 35% 35% Total 18-34 35-54 55+ © 2019 Ipsos. Strongly agree Somewhat agree 65% 55% 63% 72% 29% 21% 29% 36% 35% 34% 35% 36% Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 13 IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH CARE IN FEDERAL ELECTION VOTE Canadians 55 and over are more likely to say they’ll vote for the party they think has the best plan for the future of health care in Canada in the upcoming federal election. Will vote for party I think has best plan for future of health care in Canada 7% 7% 57% 56% 66% 20% 19% 37% 37% 40% 18-34 35-54 55+ 26% 22% Strongly agree 26% % Agree 60% Agree Somewhat agree Neither Strongly agree Somewhat agree Disagree Don't know 38% © 2019 Ipsos. Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 14 VOTER MESSAGING – FULLY COSTED PLAN FOR IMPROVING HEALTH CARE And they are most likely to say every part must have a fully costed plan for improving health care. Every party must have a fully costed plan for improving health care 3% 17% % Agree 62% 70% 79% 27% 34% 43% 35% 35% 36% 18-34 35-54 55+ 8% Strongly agree 71% Agree 36% Somewhat agree Neither Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Don't know 35% © 2019 Ipsos. Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 15 VOTER MESSAGING – PHARMACARE Canadians 55 and over are the most likely to say a national, federally funded, pharmacare program is needed – with 4 in 10 strongly agreeing with this. Health system requires new funding for national pharmacare progam % Agree 53% 57% 69% 21% 25% 39% 32% 32% 30% 18-34 35-54 55+ 14% 6% 19% 29% 60% Agree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Don't know 31% © 2019 Ipsos. Q7A. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 16 SUPPORT FOR PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH CARE Older Canadians are the most resistant to private sector involvement in health care. I would support increasing private sector delivery options of health care that individuals could pay to access Total 18-34 35-54 55+ % Agree 36% 38% 38% 31% % Disagree 31% 22% 27% 41% I would support having the private sector more involved in the delivery of publicly-funded health care © 2019 Ipsos. Total 18-34 35-54 55+ % Agree 43% 42% 43% 43% % Disagree 24% 19% 23% 29% Q8E. How much do you agree or disagree with the following…? Base: All respondents (n=3351) 17 Contacts Mike Colledge President, Ipsos Public Affairs mike.colledge@ipsos.com 613-292-0253 © 2019 Ipsos 18