MORRISBURG – In a letter to patients, the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic announced it is offering a service plan for non-insured services from the medical practice.
The letter explains that many of the medical costs are covered through the provincial OHIP billion.
“However, there are many services we provide which are not covered by OHIP, that require significant time and the demand for these uninsured services has increased dramatically in the past several years,” the letter states.
The clinic, which has offices in Morrisburg and Ingleside, partnered with PatientSERV – which is the Ontario Medical Association’s partner for managing uninsured services.
Three rate packages are offered by the SLMC: Individual ($99/year); Couple ($149/year); and Family ($169/year). Fees cover services like telephone prescription renewals to pharmacies, referrals to physiotherapy, and certain insurance forms.
Those who do not wish to purchase a package from the practice, can opt to pay as you go and be invoiced for uninsured services.
Reaction to the changes was mixed.
Online comments to the SLMC’s social media included concerns about wait times for appointments, and access to care.
“Getting an appointment alone is ridiculous,” said Lisa McNalty.
“Isn’t it less work for everyone if I don’t have to see the doctor to renew a basic prescription I’ve been taking for years,” asked Vanessa Frantzen.
Leah Ann Myers commented that the service fees are not unreasonable.
“There should be regular follow up to get a new prescription as needs change, it’s best practice. If you aren’t willing to follow up to continue a prescription then you should have to pay,” she said.
The medical clinic clarified the letter stating that patents who book to see a doctor for prescription renewals will not be charged for in-person visits.
“To clarify, all patients will receive enough medication until their next routine visit with their family physician,” clinic representatives said in a post to social media. “This will be completed at no charge.”
The Leader contacted the SLMC for further comment and received no response by publication deadline for this story.
The issue of certain services not being covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan has been ongoing for many years and has recently escalated.
Since October 2023, the Ministry of Health and the OMA have been negotiating a new Physicians Service Agreement which determines what services are covered through OHIP.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Hannah Jensen said the province has increased funding to health care by over $16 billion since 2018.
“We look forward to discussions at the table with the OMA,” she said.
Charging a fee for a group of uninsured services is allowed in Ontario. Uninsured services are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn reiterated the Ministry of Health’s responses to questions adding that the province has “made changes to allow pharmacists to prescribe for 19 minor ailments, a program that has served over 700,000 Ontarians over the last year.”
The MPP also said the province has added 17,000 new nurses and 2,400 new physicians to the workforce in what Quinn called “a record-breaking year.”
The SLMC is not the first practice to offer service plans for uninsured services. More than 50 medical practices across the province have added service plans for services with fees ranging from $99-$169/year for individuals, and up to $350/year for families.
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