Province could re-examine MRI program

Under threat of cuts to federal transfers, Saskatchewan’s health minister is still trying to set up talks with his federal counterpart to persuade her of the merits of the province’s controversial two-forone MRI program.

But with the clock ticking and a deadline just weeks away, Jim Reiter said federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu hasn’t responded to a letter he sent on Feb. 13 seeking a meeting. On Tuesday, he opened the door to reconsidering Saskatchewan’s approach if Ottawa doesn’t relent.

The federal government has threatened to shave money off transfer payments for any province that doesn’t bring diagnostic services, like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in line with the Canada Health Act.

The deadline is April 1, though money wouldn’t actually be held back until 2023.

Saskatchewan allows clinics to charge patients for MRIS if they provide an equal number to those on the public wait list. But the Canada Health Act exempts all patients from fees for medically necessary services, and Ottawa has criticized the Saskatchewan approach for allowing some to jump the queue.

Asked whether the two-for-one program could survive for the long term in the face of federal penalties, Reiter hinted that the government would have to take a close look and consider its options.

“If I can’t convince her that this is the appropriate thing, then we’ll have to re-evaluate and decide what action we take next,” he said.

Reiter’s statement came after NDP Leader Ryan Meili blasted the two-for-one system in question period on Tuesday, calling it a “two-tiered” and “American-style” model that doesn’t work.

Wait times for MRIS have increased since the system was introduced in 2016. According to data the government released Tuesday, the average wait time for non-emergency MRIS was 80 days as of Dec. 31.

But Reiter pointed out that referrals have increased by 18 per cent over the past three years, far more than capacity. He said 4,600 more people would be on the wait list if the two-for-one model wasn’t in place.

Reiter said he believes the model remains part of the solution for driving wait times down.

“I think the two-for-one has absolutely been beneficial,” he said. “It’s not a panacea. I don’t think it was ever intended to be. It’s just one more tool that can help.”

Meili took issue with Reiter’s plan to wait on Ottawa’s next move.

“It doesn’t work. It never did,” he said of two-for-one MRIS.

“It doesn’t work for people to get health care, it doesn’t shorten wait times and it’s now putting us at risk of losing these dollars because it’s actually against the Canada Health Act.”