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VICTORIA – Amendments to B.C.’s Medicare Protection Act will help protect patients from being billed for medically necessary physician and hospital services, Health Services Minister Colin Hansen says.
“B.C. has an obligation under the Canada Health Act to ensure patients get the medically required care they need without any unnecessary cost to themselves,” Hansen said. “We want to clarify the rules around medically necessary services to prevent any inadvertent billing errors that might cause financial hardship for patients.”
The five principles of the Canada Health Act are universality, accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability and public administration of health care services. The changes will provide greater clarity to patients, physicians and private clinic operators and ensure British Columbians have access to publicly funded health care by:
· Clarifying when it is inappropriate for physicians or clinics to charge patients for medical and surgical services. · Prohibiting patient charges for medically necessary diagnostic care. · Confirming the Medical Services Commission’s (MSC) authority to audit the billing practices of all diagnostic facilities and private clinics in response to complaints. · Specifying penalties for individuals or corporations who violate the legislation and authorizing the MSC to recover unlawful charges.
Under the new approach, the Medical Services Commission (MSC), which includes government, BCMA and public members, will be better able to investigate circumstances where patients may have inadvertently been charged for a service that would normally be paid for through the provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP). The changes will allow the MSC to recover any inappropriate charges.
To ensure consistency with the Canada Health Act, the amendments will also prohibit user fees or extra billing of a patient’s friend or relative on their behalf, for medically necessary medical and hospital care.
The amendments will also strengthen provisions around auditing and enforcement of billing practices, similar to legislation already in place in other provinces, includingAlberta and Ontario.
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