Canada's health care savings attributed to euthanasia.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Soon after Canada legalized euthanasia, the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) published a study by Aaron J. Trachtenberg MD DPhil, and Braden Manns MD MSc titled: Cost analysis of medical assistance in dying. 

The researchers suggested that the Canadian healthcare system will save between 34.7 and 138.8 million dollars per year, depending on the number of euthanasia deaths. Canada has a universal healthcare system, whereby the financial cost of healthcare is primarily covered by the government.

At the time I stated that the social pressure to save money will become the ultimate form of social responsibility. People will be socially pressured to die.

"How dare you choose to live. You are costing society money."

Today, Katie Dangerfield reported for Global News that:

Since Canada’s law on medical assistance in dying came into effect more than four years ago, health-care costs have dropped millions of dollars, according to a Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) report released Tuesday.

The report on assisted dying said since becoming legal on June 17, 2016, Canada's health-care costs have dropped $86.9 million.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer also projected that Bill C-7, the bill to expand Canada's euthanasia law, will lead to more euthanasia deaths per year and more healthcare savings. Dangerfield reported:

The budget office estimates the legislation would mean an additional 1,164 medically assisted deaths in Canada in 2021, on top of the 6,465 deaths expected under the current regime.

Provincial health budgets would see a savings of $149 million next year if the numbers hold true, largely from declines in spending on end-of-life care.

I estimate that the numbers in the report are low for two reasons. The first reason is that we will have more euthanasia deaths than predicted. The second reason is that people with months and years to live will be dying by euthanasia leading to cost savings far beyond predictions.

These cost savings will not only be related to the medical system but also to the cost of social services. People on a disability pension, or people living on welfare, as well as the cost savings related to retirement benefits.

Sadly, some people will point to the cost savings as a positive reason to promote euthanasia. 

It appears that euthanasia is not about "choice" or "autonomy" but rather killing people at the most vulnerable time of life.

There has now been approximately 19,000 euthanasia deaths in Canada.