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News Release
The OHIP Fee Schedule Dispute:
The Position of the
Medical Reform Group of Ontario
The Medical Reform Group of Ontario, a group of Ontario Physicians
concerned about the challenges faced by Medicare in the 1980's,
are disturbed by the effect the current OHIP fee dispute may have
on the province's Health Service. We see a number of factors contributing
to the current impasse between the government and the O.M.A. These
include:
a)The arbitrary imposition of a 3 year fee settlement by the Ontario
Government.
b)The concerted strategy of the O.M.A. to disrupt health services
and waste OHIP's resources which started 2 months before the current
fee schedule had expired.
c)The failure of both the government and the O.M.A. to negotiate
in good faith, and their reluctance to abide by any jointly negotiated
agreement.
The MRG believes that for there to be a satisfactory long term
solution to the problem of physician remuneration, the following
are necessary.
a)The government and the O.M.A. should enter into negotiations that
will be conducted according to recognized labour practise.
b)If no agreement can be reached by this process, the issues should
be submitted to an independent arbitrator, acceptable to both sides,
whose decision would be binding on both parties.
c)Any individual physician who was unwilling to accept the final
agreement would have the right to charge higher fees, but neither
the physician nor his patient would be reimbursed by OHIP for any
part of that fee.
d)At this stage, the MRG does not see the O.M.A.'s 'work action'
as a valid alternative to direct negotiation. We deplore any action
taken by the O.M.A. or the government that might affect patient
care, directly or indirectly, or undermine the universal access
to free high quality Health Care that Ontario residents have come
to expect.
e)As part of a longer term solution to the problem of physician
remuneration, the government should consider alternative forms of
payment, such as capitation fees, salaries or global budgets to
prevent the situation recurring.
The goal of all physicians, consumers and the government should
be to strengthen and support our Medicare service.
For further information please contact
Dr. Nick Kates
Dr. Bob James
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