Quebecers will no longer need doctor's notes for reimbursements from private insurers

The days of Quebecers needing a note from their family doctor to be reimbursed for medical treatments may soon come to an end.

Health Minister Christian Dubannounced Wednesday he will table a bill that would prohibitinsurance companies and employersfrom requiring doctor's notesto submit reimbursement requests for healthtreatments.

If thebill is adopted, patients will no longer have to request a doctor's noteto be reimbursed for a consultation with a health-care professional, like a physiotherapist or massage therapist or after getting orthopedic equipment such as crutches or a cane.

The new measure would apply to everyone in Quebec, regardless of their insurance company, a spokesperson for the health minister confirmed.

Family doctors have been saying they spend too much time filling out forms for private insurers. By freeing doctors from paperwork, Dubsays they will be able tospend more time seeing patients.

Radio-Canada reported last March that many family doctors who wanted therequirement to be abolished said administrative paperwork for insurers took up a quarter of their time. On top of that, patients without access to a family doctorwho underwenttreatments said they wouldn'tknow where to file their health claims.

In a statementsent Wednesday, Quebec's college of physicians the Collge des mdecins du Qubec welcomed the measure, agreeing that the bill would reduce paperwork.

Last February, Quebec implemented similar measures for patients compensated by the province's workplace health and safety board, the Commission des normes, de l'quit, de la sant et de la scurit du travail (CNESST).

In those cases, the government already allows doctors to determine the number of follow-up consultations neededbased on their availability and the state of the worker's health.

Freeing up appointments

At the National Assembly, Dubsaidthat, based on preliminary information,he estimates300,000 to 500,000 additional medical appointments would become availableannually.

But physicians and opposition party leaders worry that Dubisblowingthe announcementout of proportion.

Dr. Pascal Renaud, the president of theAssociationdesMdecins OmnipraticiensdeQubec, says it is too early to say the bill would cut down the time doctors spend on paperwork at the rate Dubis suggesting.

"Twenty-five per cent of the time we're doing paperwork it isn't only for insurance forms,"Renaud said, notingthere are many other provincial and federal governmentformsthat physicians are required to fill out.

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Family doctors in Quebec say they're using a lot of time filling up insurance paperwork and that time could be served caring for patients.

He added that it's been two years that doctors have been calling onthe minister to address the abundanceof paperwork, but "even late good news is good news."

Urging the health minister to "come back with results," the Parti QubcoisMNA forMatane-MatapdiaPascal Brub pointedto the Coalition Avenir Qubec(CAQ) promising in 2018 thatQuebecers would wait at most90 minutes to see a doctor.

"I don't believe them," Brub said."With the CAQ and Mr. Dub, it's all about intentions and not about results."

Brub stressed that waiting times in Quebec emergencies rooms have increased. The occupancy rates of hospitals in Chteauguay, Mont-Laurier and Saint-Jrme were 200 per cent on Wednesday, he said.

Qubec Solidaire MNA Christine Labrieand Liberal MNA Frdric Beauchemin saythe bill would helpimprove doctors' productivity, with Labrie saying she hopes patients will be able to avoid "useless consultations."

Currently, a worker on medium or long-term sick leave must return to see their family doctor regularly to maintain their compensation.

For example, the recovery time for a patient on sick leave for a fracture is usually two months. But some employers' insurance plans require patients to see their doctor every three weeks.Once the bill is adopted, family doctors will determine the frequency of the consultations based on their clinical judgment, rather than the employer or insurer.

In an interview with Radio-Canada's Tout un matin, Dub said he and Labour Minister Jean Bouletwould continue working on the bill over the summer. He said they hope to table it by the start of the session in the fall.