Access to virtual care in jeopardy after fee structure changes
The province is set to cut fees it pays doctors for virtual care visits on Thursday, impacting millions of patients across Ontario who rely on the service.
Robyn Edwards turned to virtual care after losing her family doctor two years ago.
"The Rocket Doctor system has been a saving grace for me," Edwards said. "It has prevented me a few times from going to an emergency room."
Edwards needs annual biopsies and relies on virtual doctors for referrals.
"Thankfully last week I was able to get a referral from Rocket Doctor but if this was after December 1st I wouldn't be able to do that," she said "I don't know what I'm going to do next year. I'm on a waitlist, I've joined every list that I come across."
As of Dec. 1, the province is cutting fees it pays physicians for virtual care visits after reaching an agreement with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA).
"We're talking about 50 per cent reduction," said Dr. William Cherniak, a physician and founder and CEO of virtual care platform Rocket Doctor.
He also started an online petition calling for technology to be embraced to ensure access.
"The way that things are changing is it will become essentially impossible for physicians to provide the comprehensive coordinated care that they've been doing on Rocket Doctor for any patient that they haven't previously seen in person," he said. "And so millions of people are going to lose access to care tomorrow."
In a statement the OMA said "there was no publicly funded virtual care in Ontario before the pandemic, except for limited services through the Ontario Telemedicine Network."
"The OMA believes the best care is inside the patient-doctor relationship. Virtual care is fully funded by OHIP under this new agreement when there is this ongoing relationship."
For one-off visits when physicians don't have a relationship with a patient, OHIP will pay the doctor $20 for a video visit and $15 for a telephone visit, a dramatic drop from what is currently paid.
In a statement the ministry of health writes it "has taken a patient first approach to ensure that Ontarians will continue to have access to the care they need, when they need it" and that "virtual care is intended to complement in-person care, not replace it."
"It is frustrating but it's also devastating," said Edwards. "I'm grateful that I'm relatively healthy and can advocate for myself. This is taking away a very essential service from people that have accessibility issues, who just can't get out to see a doctor and we are now in a virtual world and it just made perfect sense that this was a service being offered virtually and to have it taken away I don't get it."
Edwards recently received her licence plate sticker refund in the mail and says she'd rather have greater access to healthcare.
"I'm scared for those who have no choice but to go to an emergency and I'm worried about the future of our healthcare," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.