Term: Surgical Facilities Regulation
Last Updated: 2007-09-26
Came into affect January 1, 1999 under the Health Services Insurance Act. It prohibits private clinics from extra billing of patients for overhead and support services. Instead, the Manitoba Government will pay facility fees for all medically insured services performed at private clinics; fees will be paid for a volume of insured services that is based on each clinic's historical activity. This Act covers orthopedic, cataract and plastic surgeries and is designed to ensure that Manitobans have equal access to such insured procedures. As well, physicians will now maintain only one waiting list (rather than separate ones for patients who are prepared to pay a facility fee and those who are not prepared to pay), and patients will be able to choose whether to receive a service at a private or public facility.