Canada Health Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6)

Marginal note:Accessibility

• 12 (1) In order to satisfy the criterion respecting accessibility, the health care insurance plan of a province

  • (a) must provide for insured health services on uniform terms and conditions and on a basis that does not impede or preclude, either directly or indirectly whether by charges made to insured persons or otherwise, reasonable access to those services by insured persons;

  • (b) must provide for payment for insured health services in accordance with a tariff or system of payment authorized by the law of the province;

  • (c) must provide for reasonable compensation for all insured health services rendered by medical practitioners or dentists; and

  • (d) must provide for the payment of amounts to hospitals, including hospitals owned or operated by Canada, in respect of the cost of insured health services.

• Marginal note:Reasonable compensation

  (2) In respect of any province in which extra-billing is not permitted, paragraph (1)(c) shall be deemed to be complied with if the province has chosen to enter into, and has entered into, an agreement with the medical practitioners and dentists of the province that provides

  • (a) for negotiations relating to compensation for insured health services between the province and provincial organizations that represent practising medical practitioners or dentists in the province;

  • (b) for the settlement of disputes relating to compensation through, at the option of the appropriate provincial organizations referred to in paragraph (a), conciliation or binding arbitration by a panel that is equally representative of the provincial organizations and the province and that has an independent chairman; and

  • (c) that a decision of a panel referred to in paragraph (b) may not be altered except by an Act of the legislature of the province.