Question Period Note: Canada Health Act Compliance Issues

N/A

KEY MESSAGES
• Our Government is committed to publicly funded and universal health care for all.
• The Canada Health Act ensures all Canadians have access to medically necessary health services based on their health need, not their ability or willingness to pay.
• This Government is committed to upholding the Canada Health Act and will continue working with provinces and territories to ensure patients do not face barriers when accessing these services.
• In the coming weeks, I will be tabling the Canada Health Act Annual Report in Parliament, which will provide additional details about how this Government is upholding the Act.
IF PRESSED …
Q1: If pressed on whether the federal government will levy additional deductions to Alberta’s CHT payment based on the province’s health insurance amendments, or its announced diagnostic services reforms
A1:
• The Government of Canada is committed to upholding the Canada Health Act to ensure all Canadians can access required health services on the same fair terms. This is a fundamental aspect of our universal health care system.
• Any changes to a province’s health care insurance legislation which would prioritize access to insured services based on the ability or willingness to pay, rather than medical need, would pose concerns under the Act.
• The federal government is engaging with Alberta to discuss the amendments to its health care insurance legislation and their implications for the province’s alignment with the requirements of the Canada Health Act.
Q2 : If pressed on the CHA Services Policy (accessing care provided by regulated health care providers like nurse practitioners)
A2 :
• Nurse practitioners deliver comprehensive care to many Canadians who do not have access to a physician. Some patients are being charged to access this care.
• Under the new Canada Health Act Services Policy, provinces and territories will be expected to cover medically necessary care provided by regulated health care professionals, like nurse practitioners, if it is covered when provided by a physician.
• Most jurisdictions are already moving toward covering these services. and I will continue working with provinces and territories to ensure patients do not face charges to access medically necessary care.
Q3 : If pressed on membership fees at private primary care clinics
A3 :
• The Government of Canada does not support a two-tiered health care system where patients may choose, or be required, to pay membership fees to access insured primary care services at clinics, or to gain preferential access to those services.
• These fees are considered patient charges under the Canada Health Act and raise concerns under the accessibility criterion of the Act.
• When made aware of such fees, Health Canada engages with their provincial or territorial counterparts to eliminate them.
Q4 : If pressed on Canada health transfer deductions levied to Quebec in March 2025
A4 :
• In January 2025, Quebec acknowledged Health Canada’s calculation of patient charges for medically necessary diagnostic services levied in 2022-2023, based on data published by Statistics Canada. This resulted in a $35.2 million Canada Health Transfer deduction in March 2025.
• Acknowledging continued efforts made by Quebec to improve access to these services, Health Canada authorised a $21.1 million reimbursement of this deduction.
• Health Canada continues to work with Quebec to encourage the elimination of these patient charges and allow for the full reimbursement of this deduction.

N/A

KEY STATS
• In March 2025, Health Canada deducted ~$62 million from provincial and territorial Canada Health Transfer payments in respect of patient charges for insured services.
• At the same time, ~$52 million was reimbursed under the Canada Health Act’s Reimbursement Policy to acknowledge provincial and territorial efforts to eliminate those charges