The New Brunswick Health Coalition warned Tuesday that the province is moving closer to a system of "for profit" health care, and they say it's being done without public consultation.

Two weeks ago, Health Minister Mike Murphy announced the new look for health care in New Brunswick which includes reducing the number of health regions from eight to just two larger boards based in Bathurst and Miramichi.

The coalition said Tuesday it doesn't like the way the new regions will be run, because the elected boards will be replaced with appointed boards.

"We are concerned about the fact that the elected boards are gone, and they will now all be by appointment," coalition member Debbie Lacelle said at a news conference in Fredericton.

"About 75 per cent of the CEO's and chairs who've been appointed have strong private sector backgrounds; that suggests that over time the direction will be to move to the private sector."

Lacelle also said the system does not ensure equal access for everyone.

The coalition hopes to get 100,000 signatures on a petition from members of the 23 organizations upset with the changes.

Murphy accused the coalition of fear-mongering, and said the appointees are hired for their job skills.

"The health coalition clearly is preying upon some of the fears of the elderly, or some of the vulnerable," the health minister said.

"The people of New Brunswick should know that they're never going to have to pay for their health care. But we need value for the dollar. We've reduced the number of health authorities. We need less administration — more stethoscopes and less clipboards."

The purpose of the change is to end the duplication of services that existed while the province had eight regional health authorities, Murphy said.

Another change involves the creation of a single public company that will take over non-clinical services — a move Murphy expects will save the province $20 million a year.

CUPE New Brunswick president Danny Legere, a member of the coalition, also fears this is a move to a two-tiered system.

"We certainly don't want to find ourselves back in the days where, if you can afford it, you'll get health care, and if you can't, you either have to sell the family farm to get it or you simply wait," Legere said.

The health coalition also pointed out that many of the services associated with health care are already handled by the private sector.

"Where are health care costs are rising the furthest and the quickest? Drugs, pharmacare, long term care and homecare. And when you look at those areas, they're all under the private system," Legere said.

The coalition vowed to continue the fight for "more democracy" in the system.