OTTAWA WARNS OF FUNDING CUTS IF FEES CONTINUE FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY SERVICES
Mar 10, 2023
By Bob Komsic
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The federal government’s clawing $82-million in health transfer money to provinces for charging patients for services that should have been covered by the Canada Health Act.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says eight provinces will see reductions in their next health transfer over fees charged in 2020 and 2021.
Most are related to fees for things like CT scans and MRIs.
Duclos is warning provinces and territories not to charge patients for medically necessary care or health transfer payments will be clawed back.
”No matter where in the country Canadians live or how they receive medically necessary care, they must be able to access these services without having to pay out of pocket,” stresses the health minister.
”I am very concerned with the recent increase in reports of patient charges for medically necessary services,” Duclos says a letter to all provincial and territorial counterparts.