Physicians from across the province want a more stable healthcare funding system, which the Ontario Government says stems from increased billing by doctors.
The Ontario Government sets aside $11-billion for doctors each year, and Health Minister Eric Hoskins claims over the last four years, physicians have billed $744-million over that set budget.
In a recent news conference, Hoskins made a plea to the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) to return to the bargaining table, and reach a new agreement for the 134,000 doctors they represent. Hoskins says the OMA left the table back in January 2015.
Chatham-Kent Dr. Constance Nasello is concerned about steady funding cuts and caps to healthcare that are affecting emergency rooms, family doctors and tertiary services.
"The whole healthcare budget has been cut. There's less money for hospitals, there's less money to pay nurse practitioners, doctors and physiotherapists," says Nasello.
Hoskins argues the unstable funding is due in part to select doctors increasing their billing. Last year 500 doctors in Ontario billed over $1-million to the Ministry of Health. The top earners represent 2% of all doctors in the province, but their salaries account for 10% of the total doctors budget. The top-earning doctor, an opthamologist, made $6.6-million in 2015.
Hoskins says over the last couple years, the province has approached the OMA with 80 different proposals, which contain changes to "fee codes," the rates at which doctors charge for a certain procedure or test.
"[The OMA] has been unable and unwilling to provide us with a single example, among 7,000 fee codes, where they believe on evidence and fareness, the fees should be reduced," he says.
Nasello has made an appeal for concerned doctors and citizens, who will hold a demonstration outside Queen's Park in Toronto, Saturday from 12pm to 3pm.