Processing delays for Quebec health coverage force patients to go private

Staffing shortages and an unprecedented number of registrations at Quebec's health insurance board are forcing countless people to take out private insurance while waiting for coverage. 

The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), which administers the province's free, universal health-care plan, says it's been inundated with calls — up to 10,000 per day in the month of January — and can't keep up with demand. 

"We have indeed seen an increase in delays for people who are registering for the first time or returning to Quebec after a long absence," said RAMQ spokesperson Caroline Dupont.

"We are aware that our telephone services must improve."

Dupont says the high demand is due to a wave of international students returning in the province, as well as Bill 83, introduced last June, which allowed 4,530 children of immigrants with precarious status to be covered by RAMQ. 

"Like other organizations, we are experiencing the consequences of the shortage of customer service workers," said Dupont of the reason for the long processing time for health insurance. 

Group of doctors slams province

A group of Quebec doctors and medical students dedicated to preserving the province's health-care system is denouncing the delays, saying patients are having to forgo medications and health care to which they're entitled — sometimes for months.

The Médecins québécois pour le régime public (MQRP) say the wait time is so long, the RAMQ is suggesting that eligible individuals obtain private insurance while waiting for their application to be processed — a directive it says is unacceptable. 

"Encouraging the population to turn to private insurers represents an unacceptable disavowal on the part of the government," the MQRP said in a news release. 

The RAMQ says it has always recommended that people arriving in Quebec (from abroad or from another province) obtain private insurance to avoid having to pay for medical care during the waiting period for a medicare card. However, it has been highlighting this recommendation on its website since the fall due to the delays. 

Without valid health insurance, making a doctor's appointment can become difficult and some care is not accessible, the MQRP said. A bill at the pharmacy counter can quickly become unaffordable, even for drugs that are considered essential. 

The delays also affect those who have lost their drug coverage due to job loss, a common occurrence since the beginning of the pandemic. 

New services to speed up process

The RAMQ did not say how many registrations were pending, but Dupont said the number is going down every day. She said the board plans to fully correct the situation starting with increasing manpower to tackle these files. 

Agents have been specially assigned to process these registrations and the RAMQ says it plans to increase its call-taking capacity with 25 new employees hired in the fall, and another 20 in training who will start work in the coming weeks.

A new online registration system will also be available by March for temporary workers and newcomers. Since November, international students have been able to register entirely online, without having to call.