Ontario government expanding public health care performed at private clinics
The Ontario government has unveiled a plan to increase the number of publicly-funded procedures performed in private clinics.
The move was announced by Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Premier Doug Ford.
The change will be introduced in three phases.
In the first phase, surgical and diagnostic clinics in Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor will perform an additional 14,000 cataract operations per year.
In step two, more clinics will offer MRI and CT scans, as well as colonoscopies and endoscopies.
By 2024, the province intends to implement step three, which will see hip and knee replacements performed at independent clinics.
Ford says the move is necessary, in order to reduce wait times and eliminate the surgical backlog.
"When it comes to your health, the status quo is no longer acceptable," said Premier Doug Ford. "Our government is taking bold action to reduce wait times for surgeries, all while ensuring Ontarians use their OHIP card to get the care they need, never their credit card."
Jones and Ford say the procedures will continue to be paid for by OHIP, though some critics worry the plan will require patients to pay for add-ons at the clinics.
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