Achi news desk-
Family physicians now receive a $100 premium per patient annually when they register through the Quebec Front Access Desk (GAP), a reduction of $20 each.
On Friday at noon, the president of the Federation of General Physicians of Quebec (FMOQ), Dr. Marc-Andre Amyot, presented to his members the details of the agreement reached on Thursday with the Quebec government.
The premium will also no longer be paid in full as soon as the queue becomes available. An initial $50 will be allocated when a time slot is open and the remaining $50 will be given at the time of the meeting.
It seems that both parties are satisfied with the agreement.
Health Minister Christian Dube emphasized on Thursday that the GAP bridge agreement “will preserve certain important principles, such as collective registration.”
Since 2022, an annual premium of $120 has been paid for each patient enrolled in a family medicine group (FMG) through the GAP. The goal was for FMG to take in patients who did not have a family doctor.
Amoat has repeatedly claimed that the premium is being used to hire staff and rent space to accommodate more patients.
“Doctors have reorganized their practices,” he claimed Thursday before the agreement with Quebec City was announced.
The agreement expired on May 31, resulting in fewer appointments being made through the GAP. At one point, the number of appointments available through the GAP dropped from 17,604 the week of May 18 to 1,133 the week of June 29.
In a press release on Thursday, Emot hinted that the number of appointments offered through the GAP should increase compared to the decrease seen at the end of the agreement. However, it will not return to “the previous state of GAP,” he said.
He explained that it is possible that some of the doctors who decided to postpone retirement to offer GAP services have now retired because of uncertainty about whether the agreement will be renewed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 14, 2024.
Canadian Press health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.
