(March 3, 2021) – Tony Wakeham, PC Candidate for Stephenville-Port au Port, and David Brazil, PC Candidate for Conception Bay East-Bell Island, are calling on Andrew Furey and the Liberals to release analysis related to the Change Healthcare contract and show where the healthcare cuts will come from and how many jobs will be lost.

“The contract will incentivize Change Healthcare to find cuts and could see them paid up to $35 million for cuts they recommend. Surely the Liberals have done analysis related to this contract and where they expect the cuts to be found,” said Wakeham.

“It’s time for government to be honest with the people of the province and show where these cuts are expected to be found. Which parts of our healthcare will feel the brunt of recommendations from this American company?”

CUPE NL is calling for the contract to be revoked outright, pointing to the cuts Change Healthcare made in Manitoba. The union says as many as 500 nurses lost their jobs through the company’s recommendations in Manitoba.

Government will be penalized if it doesn’t implement the majority of recommendations that come from the Change Healthcare contract, which Brazil says shows the Liberals are committed to whatever cuts are recommended.

“If this contract was good news for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, there would have been fanfare with a public announcement. Instead, the Liberals tried to hide this contract from public scrutiny,” said Brazil.

“The people of Newfoundland and Labrador are rightly skeptical of this contract and it’s up to the Liberals to show their work and assure the province that major healthcare cuts aren’t coming.”

Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Communications

(p) (709) 769-2216

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