Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Dr. Melanie Bechard
Volume 39 Issue 7, 8, & 9 | Posted: October 19, 2024
The Editor,
We would like to provide you with an update and enlist your help with an ongoing campaign related to the Canada Health Act interpretation letter.
Right now, the Canada Health Act prohibits charging patients for medically necessary care delivered by physicians. This is why some Nurse Practitioners have been able to charge privately to deliver primary care. Further, the Canada Health Act, which was passed in 1984, does not specifically mention virtual care. There are several virtual care platforms that charge patients fees, which is harder to justify in a post-pandemic world where provinces and territories do have some public coverage for virtual care in specific situations. The provinces and territories could more broadly fund nurse practitioners and virtual care but have not yet chosen to do so, which presents an opportunity for federal leadership.
We at CDM were pleased to hear that the Minister of Health in March 2023 promised to issue a Canada Health Act interpretation letter to clarify that “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.” Many health care advocates were hoping that the interpretation letter would stipulate that nurse practitioner care and virtual care should be publicly-funded. This would be a significant expansion in Canada’s publicly-funded health care services.
But the interpretation letter has not been released after 18 months. CDM meets regularly with the Minister of Health’s staff, who keep us posted on the progress. It is clear that we need to show the government that there is broad public and physician support for the Canada Health Act interpretation letter. This has become even more urgent in the current political climate.
How can you help?
- Read and share this op-ed published in the Hill Times by CDM Board Director Jarol Boan and me.
Op-Ed_CDM_CHA_Interpretation_Letter.pdf (nationbuilder.com) - Review the letter that CDM sent to the Prime Minister of Canada’s office at this link:
PMO_Letter_CDM_CHA_Interpretation_Letter.pdf (nationbuilder.com) - Edit and personalize this letter (MP Letter CHA Interpretation Letter.docx – Google Docs) before sending it to your Member of Parliament (MP). Let CDM know when you send the letter and whether you receive a response!
You can find your riding, MP, and contact information here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en
As always, let us know if you have questions or if you’d like to help out more. Thanks for working together to make health care in Canada better and more accessible!
Dr. Melanie Bechard
Chair, Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Dr. Melanie Bechard