Five Associations Back Lawsuit Against Illegal Medical Billing
A lawsuit in Canada about illegal medical billing is supported by several human rights and social justice associations.
- While the focus of the healthcare landscape in the United States is on open enrollment, which started this weekend, there is an interesting battle starting in Canada. Currently, five human rights and social justice associations that represent doctors and tens of thousands of healthcare users, are coming together to support a class action lawsuit against 50 private clinics over illegal medical billing practices.
The lawsuit is against the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the RAMQ and several medical clinics. It was filed by a law firm on behalf of Philippe Leveille and other patients. It alleges illegal billing practices during patient visits to private clinics and despite complaints, the user fees charged are growing. The organizations that are joining together include the Association of Retirees in Quebec, Quebec Doctors for Medicare, Coalition Solidarité Santé, the Council for the Protection of Patients and the Community Clinic Pointe-Saint-Charles.
According to Isabelle Leblanc, the president of Quebec Doctors for Medicare, patients are billed more often during private medical visits beyond the rare exceptions permitted by law. She said “this practice has now reached unprecedented proportions.” Those that do not have access to public care can find it difficult to access care and are forced to pay higher sums.
“All that is medically necessary must be accessible for free,” Leblanc said. “This is the foundation of our public health insurance plan. It is unacceptable that the College of Physicians of Quebec and the RAMQ do not punish these unlawful practices despite numerous complaints. MQRP therefore fully supports the class action against the costs.”
Pierre-Paul Côté, the president of the Association of Retirees said that seniors are often taken prisoner by these practices as it can be difficult to differentiate between expenses that are legal and those that are not. This causes seniors to be silent and just pick up the bill without questioning the charges.
Genevieve Dorval, Control Committee of the Community Health Clinic Pointe-Saint-Charles, said these excessive fees charged by doctors shouldn’t be a barrier to accessibility of medical services. Patients that are unable to take on additional costs find themselves deprived of care medically necessary and covered by Medicare. She added that the clinic plans to create a register of abusive fees that will be available in January 2015.
“This billing does not protect our public healthcare system and social services: it is creating two classes of patients: one who has the means to pay for care and services, and the other that can’t,” a statement from the Coalition Solidarité Santé reads. It adds that the only reason for these fee overcharges is “to make health a business opportunity for ‘real business.’”
The lawsuit is still adding clinics as defendants – 17 were added last week – but the support of these associations certainly adds to the importance of the case.
