Barbara Florio Graham: A 'no-tier' health system in Quebec

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Canada’s health-care system is broken.

As negotiations proceed between provinces and the federal government over how to fund increasing costs, some have mentioned a two-tier health system.

But in some parts of Quebec there is a no-tier system. In West Quebec, for example, there are 32,000 people on a waiting list for a family doctor and clinics are not accepting new patients. In some instances, some doctors are taking advantage of this.

I lost my family doctor in 2008. I was fortunate to find a private doctor, but he charged $250 for an annual exam and $100 if I needed to see him during the year.

He retired in 2015, so now I’m without a doctor again.

And so I filled out the online form, to be placed on the family doctor waiting list, but worried about what to do with the medical form required to maintain my driver’s licence. Like many other seniors, I have to drive almost everywhere, because I can’t walk to a bus stop.

I was given the name of a local physician who charged $70 for seeing me for just a few minutes, at the end of the day, and provided what turned out to be a fraudulent report.

I wasn’t asked to bring in my prescriptions, so I could easily have told him I took just a few daily medications, instead of the seven I’ve actually been prescribed by my former doctor. And as a result, he listed just a few routine meds on the form, with incorrect dosages.

He didn’t ask me any of the key questions on the form, such as whether or not I suffer from epilepsy, other seizures, or vertigo. He checked “No” in all the boxes related to heart and vascular disorders, respiratory disorders, or diabetes, without asking me if I had ever suffered from any of these.

This perfunctory and slipshod report included his assessment of no psychiatric disorders, substance abuse or functional limitations. How would he have known after spending such a short time with me?

This doctor told me that his price was a bargain, as other doctors charge “hundred of dollars” to fill out these forms.

Among the health rights of Quebec residents, as listed on the government website, are the right to services; the choice of professional or institution; to be attended to, assisted and represented; and the right to lodge a complaint.

In addition, Canadians are promised universal access and national standards to health care.

These rights and standards are not being met in West Quebec.

Yet we continue to pay fees for the Health Services Fund, medical insurance, and the health contribution. I find it ironic that although I qualified for the Disability Tax Credit, I still have to pay these fees to Quebec.

I have no idea what these fees cover, since our co-pay for the drug plan is higher than in Ontario. One recent year, I spent close to $6,000 on medical expenses not reimbursed by the Quebec government.

Without a doctor, I can’t obtain blood tests to determine if the medication I’m taking for chronic pain is damaging my liver. I also can’t monitor my hemoglobin, to know if I should continue taking the iron pills he prescribed or have the dosage changed.

Among the 32,000 West Quebec residents on the waiting list for doctors are many other seniors, other adults living alone who have no family close by and parents with young children.

How will the new health accord address these needs? Will Canada continue to have a mandate to provide universal health care to all? Will Quebec have to abide by the rules?

We need answers about how this broken system is going to be fixed.

Barbara Florio Graham is a freelance writer living in Gatineau.