Nova Scotia recurred a $ 3.7m in health-converting Clavback from Ottawa
Ottawa has paid several million dollars to Nova Scotia in health transfer that was previously stopped due to people paying pockets for private MRIs and ultrasound.
According to the federal government, no one in Canada should not pay for the necessary clinical imaging services, and is returning the money to allow it to return from Nova Scotia and other provinces.
However, Nova Scotia and Ottawa have come on an agreement, resulting in a recent reimbursement of $ 3.79 million – the total amount returned to the last three years. The payment was finalized in March.
“It’s a long time,” Catherine Fierbeck said, Professor of Political Science at Dalhousie University who study health policy. He said that many other provinces have already made arrangements to reduce or abolish privately funded medical imaging, so that their health transfer can be reimbursed.
Fierbeck said that he has a long list of questions about the details of the agreement, some of which he is expecting that the health can be answered in the annual report on Canada’s transfer payment.
The report usually takes place in Parliament every March, but the House was not seated from the beginning of January to the end of May – a prostitution and then the result of the federal election. The report has not yet been done since the new session started last week.
Health Canada released a brief interpretation as well as the reimbursement number to CBC News at a request.
Contract with private clinic
A Health Canadian spokesperson said that the main reason for reimbursement is “Efforts made by Nova Scotia to eliminate the patient’s allegations in the private clinic.”
The private clinic they mention is healthview, which offers MRI and ultrasound. Nova Scotia Health (NSH) signed a contract with the Halifax Imaging Clinic in May last May to send some patients at public expense.
An NSH spokesperson said 2,278 MRIs and 585 ultrasound were publicly funded in health in the first year of $ 7.6 million agreement of five years. Patients who have sent the NSH to the HealthView are tried in the same way that go to public clinics.
Personally funded imaging continues
But the contract with the healthview does not completely eliminate the cases of patients paying for the necessary imaging.
Healthview still accepts patients who want to pay to jump into queues, and at least two other private clinics in Halifax do the same.
Woh Diagnostics offered only ultrasound in the last summer, and why Vat Imaging was opened earlier this year, offering ultrasound and MRI. NSH confirmed that it did not have a contract with any of these clinics.
Fierbeck said that it is difficult to reconcile with the fact that the province received complete reimbursement of health transfer clayback.
With long waiting for ultrasound and MRI, some Nova Scotions are paying to take care in private clinics soon. But Ottawa says that those services should be publicly funded and it is punishing Nova Scotia to allow patients to pay. Tarin is the story of Grant.
“If this is only partial coverage, I would have thought that the ministry is’ Okay, partial coverage will say, we will give you partial reimbursement,” Ferback said.
He said that covering certain services in private clinics-but not all-for “two-tie-level system” thin veil.
The Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness will not provide anyone for interview.
Health Authority working on imaging backlog
The inherent issue of pushing several Nova Scotions to seek private medical imaging is a backlog in the public health care system, in which some people are waiting for months or years for MRI and ultrasound.
Dr. Tim Melman said that the problem is complex and it has been many years to make it, but Nova Scotia is “laser-centered” on health reforms.
Melman, Senior Medical Director of Diagnostics and Medical Services Network, stated that the main hurdle is staffing; There is a shortage of imaging technologists.
“Let’s use MRI as an example,” he said in an interview earlier this year. “If we were able to run our current MRIs (for) extended hours in the entire province, we have enough MRIs to meet the demand.”
Melman said that there is a “complex workforce strategy” in tasks to address that issue.
Additionally, Melman said that the Health Authority is working on a central intake system to streamline booking. He said that he hopes it will reduce repetition and no-show, and will eventually reduce waiting time. The Health Authority is hoping to come online in this summer.
Melman said that the Health Authority is also working on training and support for physicians to ensure that they are sending patients for the most appropriate type of imaging.
“As a provider, I can tell you that it is not always easy … I still ask my phone-e-friend radiologist to say, ‘With this specific situation, should I ask for a whistle? Do I ask for MRI?’
“It is not policing resources, it is working with the providers,” he said.
Melman said the backlog is the most clear in the Central Zone, including Halifax. He said that other parts of the province are getting very close to balance capacity and demand. “
