The Legault government in Quebec has made significant adjustments to its plan for restructuring how family doctors are compensated, as revealed by the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ). The updated proposal eliminates a 13% penalty for physicians who do not meet patient-access goals, a provision that had faced strong opposition from the medical field.
In place of the penalty, the government is now suggesting a substantial increase in funding, with a 14.5% rise in the overall budget amounting to $434 million, alongside a one-time payment of $75 million. Additionally, enforcement measures such as color-coded performance ratings and sanctions for non-participating doctors are being withdrawn.
While Quebec still intends to implement a payment system where doctors are remunerated based on the number of patients under their care, practitioners will have the option to work individually or as part of a group, with specific terms still under discussion.
The government aims to connect 500,000 Quebec residents to a family physician, including 180,000 vulnerable patients. Meeting this voluntary target would result in a 2.5% bonus for doctors who achieve it. Family physicians are required to vote on the proposed agreement by the end of next week.
