Clearpoint subsidiary donated $19,300 to Sask. Party
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway raised questions about the connections between the Moe government and Clearpoint Health Network. Clearpoint’s subsidiary is a major Sask. Party donor and is possibly charging the province inflated rates for mammogram referrals.
“We have serious questions about this mammogram deal. We know Clearpoint is a major Sask. Party donor through one of their subsidiaries, and it appears they might be upping their prices for Saskatchewan taxpayers,” said Conway. “Moe’s minister needs to be straight with the public and start explaining.”
Clearpoint is charging the province a flat rate of $2,000 per mammogram referral. According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, private clinics in Ontario and British Columbia charge between $140 and $430 for mammograms. The Moe government’s own Payment Schedule For Insured Services suggests that the procedure, when performed in Saskatchewan, costs a tenth of what taxpayers are paying to Clearpoint.
Clearpoint’s subsidiary Surgical Centres Inc. has donated $19,300 to the Sask. Party. According to the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists, Clearpoint is the parent company of Surgical Centres Inc.
The Minister of Health previously said about the deal that “the cost isn’t the issue.”
The Opposition called on the Sask. Party government to end out-of-province, corporate, and union donations.
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PRINCE ALBERT – Sask. Party Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod has confirmed that Saskatchewan’s brand new multi-million-dollar water bomber has been sitting idle on the tarmac in La Ronge since May 30.