MARTOW QUESTIONS THE MINISTER OF HEALTH ON THE PROBLEMATIC CUTS TO DOCTORS’ FEES

QUEENS PARK – This morning, Ontario PC GTA Affairs Critic, Gila Martow (MPP for Thornhill), questioned the Minister of Health on the recent cuts to doctors’ fees. “Many of us may recall back in 2000, the negotiation of doctor compensation when the Ontario government agreed to cover Medical Liability Protection costs in exchange for direct remuneration. This was considered a barter system – paying the soaring malpractice insurance costs in exchange for less taxpayer money to doctors.”

Last month, the Liberals told doctors they would cut $325 million dollars from physician services beginning Octobers 1st.

“With this government’s repeated cuts to doctors’ service fees, coupled with the Liberal government’s proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, is this government prepared to cover the high pension costs for medical staff in doctors’ offices as you did for Medical Liability Protection costs?” Martow asked the Minister.

These cuts are in addition to the $580 million cut in the deal imposed on the doctors earlier in the year after negotiations broke down between the government and the OMA.

“Minister, you claim that there will be “no new money available” to pay our doctors. This Liberal government expects the total amount paid to all our doctors collectively to remain the same year after year – with no extra money to account for our increasing population, our aging population, up-to-date medical treatments, or the rising cost of running a clinic,” said Martow.

Ontario needs a government that is committed to investing in healthcare workers and making the health of patients a top priority.

“We certainly do not hear, for example, the Minister of Education speak in these terms. Imagine a neighbourhood school with a specific budget for teacher salaries. Now imagine this same school accepting sixty more students and requiring two new teachers. No one would consider it reasonable to require all the teachers at the school to give up a portion of their salaries to fund the two new teachers. Why then, do you expect doctors to give up a portion of their fees?” concluded Martow.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/QQz4sjbJuf0