Ontario Radiologists Facing Payment Cuts Reports National Post

Canadian radiologists in the Province of Ontario may face steep payment cuts, according to an article from the National Post. Ontario’s Liberal government has repeatedly said it is seeking to freeze physician payment over the next two years, in line with a pay cap it has proposed for all public-sector workers. The government wants to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in payments to its doctors through fee cuts, fee clawbacks and the elimination of some health care services. Ray Foley, executive director of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, told the National Post that the province is proposing that all physicians face clawbacks of 5% for billings between $400,000 and $750,000; 10% on billings between $750,000 and $1 million; 25% on income between $1 million to $2 million; and 40% on billings over $2 million. While the sums subject to clawbacks might seem large, radiologists pay about 70% of their gross revenue on overhead, including highly expensive equipment and technical staff, he said. The government wants to see all fees charged by radiologists cut by 5%, as well as de-listing of diagnostic imaging for patients who suffer from chronic back pain, and of ultrasound scans for certain vascular conditions. According to Mr. Foley, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has calculated that the effect of the proposed cuts would be yearly income reductions of $61-million for radiologists.