Statement by Dr. Cindy Forbes, President Canadian Medical Association

OTTAWA, Oct. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is greatly concerned by the plans of the Quebec government to adopt a set of amendments to Bill 20 to legalize the fees charged to patients in clinics for insured services, commonly called "accessory fees."

The CMA and its 80,000 physician-members across the country, stand with their colleagues in the Quebec Medical Association in decrying this move, which flies in the face of our belief that public funding should be sufficient to cover insured medical and hospital services.

Given that the CMA believes undertaking this change contravenes the Canada Health Act, the CMA urges Minister of Health Rona Ambrose to intervene immediately with the Quebec government on Bill 20.

While the CMA is not questioning the Quebec government's right to determine what is and is not covered by the Quebec health insurance plan, we do believe the introduction of user fees is a serious threat to Canada's universal health insurance system. Universality is a fundamental tenet of Canada's publicly-funded health care system and one that Canada's doctors and their patients feel must be protected.

Dr. Cindy Forbes,
President, Canadian Medical Association

SOURCE Canadian Medical Association

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