Editing Medicare (Canada) (section)

==2003 Accord==
In 2003, the prime minister and the provincial premiers agreed upon priority areas for reinvestment. The 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/delivery-prestation/fptcollab/2003accord/index_e.html |title=Home page on the accord |publisher=Hc-sc.gc.ca |access-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602045037/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/delivery-prestation/fptcollab/2003accord/index_e.html |archive-date=June 2, 2008 }}</ref> reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the ''Canada Health Act''. They indicated the following principles:

"Drawing from this foundation, First Ministers view this Accord as a covenant which will help to ensure that:
* all Canadians have timely access to health services on the basis of need, not ability to pay, regardless of where they live or move in Canada;
* the health care services available to Canadians are of high quality, effective, patient-centred and safe; and
* our health care system is sustainable and affordable and will be here for Canadians and their children in the future."

The accord set the following priority areas: primary health care, home care, catastrophic drug coverage, access to diagnostic/medical equipment and information technology and an [[electronic health record]]. The extent of progress in meeting reform goals has varied across these areas.