Memo to membership re. Bill 8

From: Natalie Mehra, Ontario Health Coalition

February 16, 2004

Health Minister George Smitherman briefed the committee today for the Bill 8 hearings. He did not give the amendments to the Bill as reported earlier today. The amendments will be out on March 9. A summary of amendments is supposed to be made available this Thursday. The following summarizes what the Minister said today:

- the Bill will be amended (not sure how, there is intense lobbying from the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Medical Association re. this)

- he maintained that the Bill does not affect "current" collective agreements (note: all "current" major hospital collective agreements are up for negotiations this year)

- he noted that one change will be that accountability agreements will be negotiated as opposed to unilaterally imposed. No one asked if the compliance agreements would still stand (these are the parts that contain penalties if not followed).

- he said the Act would be changed to specify that it deals with hospitals, long term care facilities, CCACs and independent health facilities (such as the MRI/CT clinics). Not clear if it will deal with all other for-profit providers, P3s etc.

- he said block fees would be allowed but regulated.

For all those doing briefs to the Hearings, nothing here changes the substance of our brief so no need to worry about using it.