(Quebec) The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, tabled his bill on Thursday to change the method of remuneration for doctors and to link it to collective performance indicators. Prime Minister François Legault speaks of a “big change” that he has been waiting for for 23 years.
Posted at 10:32 a.m.
“There has been no government for 23 years that has had the courage to change the way doctors pay,” said Legault by going to the questions on Thursday. “The two doctors’ unions will resist. It will not be easy in the coming weeks, in the coming months. We have the courage to do it. It is a big change to the advantage of Quebecers, to the advantage of patients, “he added.
A few minutes later, Minister Dubé tabled the bill the bill to fulfill the aims of the Legault government. The legislative text plans to link a quarter of the remuneration of family doctors and specialist doctors to performance indicators, such as changing vulnerable patients and offering coverage during unfavorable quarters.
Quebec also wants 50 % of the remuneration of doctors to be by capitation, which is the opposite of an act remuneration. That is to say that doctors, rather than being paid by service rendered, would receive an overall sum for patients on their list. It is a government commitment.
“The filing of this bill there, I have been waiting for it for 23 years. In 2002, when I was Minister of Health, I opened the first family medicine group (GMF) and I said at that time, it was a first step to open GMF. The second step is to change the way doctors are paid. Currently, doctors are paid for the act and there must be part of their remuneration that is paid according to their care of patients, “said Legault.
-“In the first mandate, we were in pandemic, so we made the choice not to tackle this file,” he added.
The deposit of the bill “mainly aimed at establishing collective responsibility and the accountability of doctors regarding the improvement of access to medical services” is an unexpected turnaround. This coup comes a few days after the FMOQ rejected the government’s proposal to the negotiating table. Specialist doctors have already described the legislative text as “special law”.
“To be able to change the compensation mode. It takes a bill, but we want to continue to negotiate. Obviously, our first choice is to get along with doctors’ unions. […] But, the law is necessary. We could not change the method of remuneration of doctors without a law, “said Legault.
He did not indicate if he wants the bill to be adopted by the end of the parliamentary session, in June, or before the end of the negotiations with the federations.
The press revealed Thursday that the Legault government did not receive the blessing of its own committee of experts responsible for improving access to the first line for its legislative coup against doctors. Binding their remuneration to performance indicators is not an option chosen by the Committee.
