‘The American model’: Ontario doctor claims move to private care building steam
Global News
As the Ontario Medical Association continues to sound the alarm over a family doctor shortage, one doctor said a move toward American-style health care is 'happening already.'
Dr. David Barber, chair of the Ontario Medical Association’s general and family practice section, says a move toward private health care in Ontario is “happening already” and that it’s “going to get worse.”
During a news conference Thursday discussing a shortage of family doctors in Ontario, Barber said one of his own patients went to Montreal and paid about $2,000 for a test that had roughly as long as a 12 month wait-list in Ontario.
He also highlighted the growing number of nurse practitioner clinics in the province, which charge patients for services directly rather than through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). One such clinic in Hamilton has service prices ranging from $80 to treat a sore throat to $240 for a comprehensive mental health assessment.
“We are heading in that direction, there’s no doubt about it. We are heading towards the American model,” Barber said.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Hannah Jensen said it is a “violation of the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act (CFMA) to charge an individual for an OHIP-insured service or a component of an insured service.” She added that if a patient feels there has been a violation, they can contact the CFMA program by calling 1-888-662-6613 or emailing protectpublichealthcare@ontario.ca.
“The ministry reviews all possible violations that come to its attention and ensures that all OHIP-insured patients who are charged for an insured service are reimbursed in full.”
She noted that, in a push to connect those without family doctors with primary care services, the government has provided $50 million “each year to connect hundreds of thousands of Ontarians to primary care through 25 nurse practitioner led clinics across the province.” The government’s web page on nurse practitioner clinics says “there is no fee for this service.”
However, services delivered by nurse practitioners, who are not part of provincially funded nurse practitioner-led clinics, are not covered by OHIP. In recent months, multiple news outlets have reported examples of nurse practitioner-led clinics charging patients across Ontario.