Dan Lewis

Physician Service Agreement Ontario

TORONTO – An arbitrator has awarded a new contract to Ontario doctors in a ruling that does not limit the budget for medical services, a decision that comes after years of breaking into the relationship between doctors and the government. At more than $12 billion, physician compensation accounts for about 22 percent of the Department of Health`s $56 billion budget, the decision says. The binding arbitration framework (“Framework”) was designed to address the unique contractual relationship between physicians and government. It consists of two phases. The first phase focused on past cuts to payments and programs, rate increases proposed by the OMA, the ministry`s strict cap on the medical services budget, and proposals from both the OMA and the ministry that respect, among other things, the provision of primary care by family health organizations (“FHOs”). In the second phase, adjustments to the allocation of the budget to medical services will be examined in different disciplines. Phase 2 will focus on the allocation of the medical services budget among different specialized sections, a controversial process known as “relativity.” Such a limitation on payments to doctors for publicly insured benefits would be unfair, arbitrator William Kaplan wrote in the ruling released Tuesday. Kaplan indicated that the last increase in medical benefits was in 2011. [1] The 2012 Physician Services Agreement introduced a 0.5% royalty reduction. Starting in 2015, an additional discount of 3.95% on service billing code fees and 2.65% on non-paying service bills (with a discount of 0.5% from 2012, 4.45% and 3.15% respectively).

applied. The previous Liberal government angered doctors by imposing rate cuts for certain services and getting their salaries back, and arbitration came after years of trying for a negotiated solution. After more than four years of struggle, the provincial government and the Ontario Medical Association finally have a new fee contract – a contract that does not limit the level of physicians, but requires the abolition of “inappropriate” medical services worth $460 million. Alam said the arbitrator`s decision recognized that with an aging and growing population, there will be more demand for services. The arbitration body highlighted the first two factors. Sustainability has been viewed from a complex perspective: adequacy, current events, value for money, accountability and funding restrictions. The arbitration body also recognized the large share of the ministry`s budget (22%) are spent on doctors` salaries and that resources are not infinite. It has been found that adequacy is an area with real opportunities to reduce costs. The arbitrator`s decision recognizes that her task is patient, but also that she must keep an eye on tax resources. “We would not be inclined to require, as an arbitration chamber, that fees or allowances paid to certain groups be reduced to increase the fees or allowances paid to other groups… Given the history of recent years, we do not believe this is the time to further reduce the physician`s allowance. TORONTO, October 4, 2018 /CNW/ – The OMA Board`s top priority is an Appropriate and Fair Physical Service Agreement (PSA).

Doctors are going through their fifth consecutive year without a contract. During this period, the province reduced funding year after year to such an extent that the medical service on the front line was affected. Correction — February 20, 2019: This article was given by an earlier version that incorrectly stated that arbitration was awarded to physicians with an increase of 0.5 per cent for 2019.