Quebec Health Insurance Act

The government of Quebec provides all residents with comprehensive health care services. The province began offering a universal health care plan to residents in 1971. The program is managed by the province's health ministry, the Régie d'Assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ), and funding comes from the government of Canada. Québec's health care policy requires that all residents be provided with basic medical coverage, regardless of their income level, and that subsidized prescription drug plans assist pensioners and those on welfare to cover the costs of medications.

History

• Quebec's health plan is the legacy of the province's Quiet Revolution and the Liberal Party's policy aimed at expanding the powers of the government, according to the McCord Museum of Canadian History. Premier Jean Lesage won the provincial elections in 1960 and vowed to curb the significant powers of the Roman Catholic Church by ensuring that the government offered the social welfare services previously administered by the clergy, such as running the province's clinics, hospitals and schools. The creation of a provincial Ministry of Education in 1964 and the adoption of universal health care in 1971 transformed the province by making the government much more visible in everyday life and turning social democracy into a powerful political force.

  Universal health insurance in Quebec only offered basic diagnostic and emergency medical coverage in 1971, but the provincial government expanded this over the years by establishing the Ministry of Social Solidarity and subsidizing prescription drugs for pensioners and those without a regular income.

Coverage Policy

• RAMQ's policy of providing residents with universal health care requires patients to first seek referrals from general practitioners before obtaining coverage for diagnostic tests, medical treatments or any surgical procedures. Any resident without a family doctor may obtain referrals from physicians employed at government-run local clinics. Upon referral, RAMQ provides full coverage for ultrasounds, electro-cardiograms, X-rays, as well as MRI and CAT scans. All surgeries deemed necessary by a specialist and anesthesia prior to any medical procedure are covered by the Quebec government.

Ministry of Social Solidarity

• The Ministry of Social Solidarity's welfare programs impact how some residents receive their health care services. RAMQ is required to provide additional coverage to those unable to pay for services not covered by standard government health insurance. Welfare recipients receive free prescription drugs, complimentary dental check-ups and oral surgeries, as well as eye exams and partial coverage for eyeglasses.

Misconceptions

• Despite Quebec's extensive health care system and the Ministry of Social Solidarity, private insurance companies continue to operate and provide coverage for services not subsidized by RAMQ. The public health plan does not cover any cosmetic surgeries, unless the patient obtains a document from a specialist indicating that the procedure is medically necessary. Quebec does not cover most dental costs for employed adults, except certain forms of oral surgery, such as the removal of tumors or cysts.

  Canadians from other provinces do not need to replace their existing health cards issued by other governments to access the RAMQ plan. The government of Quebec simply bills each patient's province of residence for any medical procedures. To replace these health cards with ones issued by RAMQ, Canadians must reside in Quebec for at least three months before applying.

Theories--The Future of Public Health Care

• Fears that the RAMQ health plan is no longer sustainable due to growing deficits led the government of Quebec to examine ways to either privatize parts of the system or introduce user fees and deductibles. One option floated by Premier Jean Charest's government in 2010 includes the introduction of a $25 fee for each visit to the doctor, as well as an additional health care tax payable once a year.