Canadians are facing significant challenges when it comes to our healthcare system — from overwhelmed emergency rooms, to a lack of access of a primary care provider, and health care workers under enormous strain. Collaborative efforts by all levels of government are needed to address these challenges.
Throughout the last several years, we have seen health care delivery evolve to meet the needs of Canadians. For example, patients now benefit from nurse practitioners diagnosing, referring, and treating them – tasks historically handled only by a primary care physician. While this evolution has been critical to ensuring access to primary care for Canadians, we have unfortunately also seen an increase in Canadians paying out of pocket for health services that would otherwise be covered by their publicly-funded provincial or territorial health care plan if provided by a physician. Access to care should not be dependent on whether a Canadian has the ability to pay out of pocket.
Last week, the Honourable Minister of Health, Mark Holland, announced that as of April 1, 2026, any medically necessary physician-equivalent services provided by regulated health professionals, such as nurse practitioners, are to be paid for by provincial and territorial (PT) health care plans. Any charges to Canadians for these services that occur after that date will be considered extra-billing and user charges under the CHA and will be deducted dollar-for-dollar from the relevant PT’s health transfer. This means every dollar wrongfully taken out of the pockets of Canadians will be deducted from the PT health transfers. PTs will be eligible for reimbursement once patient charges and the circumstances which led to them are eliminated.
Our government has made a series of historic investments to strengthen public health care and ease the strain on provincial and territorial health care systems. We’ve signed $200 billion in bilateral agreements with every province and territory to expand access to family health services, reduce backlogs, and modernize Canada’s health care systems. We launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) that will expand to cover 9 million Canadians without dental coverage. And we’ve established our pharmacare plan that will make a range of diabetes medications and contraceptives free for Canadians.
