On May 2nd, a petition was filed with the Federal Court of Canada to force the Minister of Health to prevent the overbilling of medical patients through extra fees. The motion was filed by the Réseau FADOQ, a Quebecois organization that represents senior citizens. Many other groups, including those representing unions, patients and physicians, also support the passing of this application.
“By taking the legal route, we hope to force the federal Minister to take action on the issue of extra patient fees in Québec by enforcing the Canada Health Act (CHA),” says the Réseau FADOQ.
If the Minister chooses to abolish overbilling, he can do so immediately by revoking his self-appointed power to authorize extra fees. By annulling this subsection of the law (Bill 20), all extra fees will become prohibited.
Currently, negotiations are in the early stages and are foreseen to be difficult—it could take several months to reach an agreement. Moreover, the situation’s overall outcome is still uncertain, and there is no guarantee for patients that these issues will end.
“The Minister’s plan to put an end to extra fees via negotiations shifts the burden and the risks on patients,” adds Danis Prud’homme, director general of the Réseau FADOQ. “For far too long, Québec patients—most of whom are seniors—have been cheated by having to pay twice for medical acts already insured by the government health insurance plan. Every day, they tell us how distraught they are because they cannot afford to pay for these medically necessary services. This cannot go on!”
