The Québec health ministry will not say how many doctors have resigned in the Laurentides region due to a controversial law which imposed a billing agreement on the province’s doctors.

On October 25, the legislature adopted Bill 2, which changes how doctors in Québec are paid. Instead of the Régie de l’assurance malade du Québec (RAMQ) public health insurance system paying doctors on a fee-for-service model, doctors are to be paid under a structure called capitation where they would receive a fixed, upfront sum per patient assigned to them. The payment doctors receive would also be adjusted higher if a patient has more health risks. Vulnerability levels that doctors would be paid according to would be classified under four categories: healthy, minor chronic health condition, moderate health condition, and major health condition.

Prior to the adoption of Bill 2, the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ), which represents 10,000 family doctors in Québec, had been without a collective agreement with the government since 2023.

According to Santé Québec spokesperson Catherine Brousseau, during the previous week, approximately 30 physicians and medical department heads across Québec had given notice to the health department that they intend to resign during the coming weeks or months.

“This data is for all of Québec. At this time, we cannot provide data by region,” Brousseau said.

The Review had inquired if any doctors in the Laurentides region, specifically those affiliated with hospitals in Lachute, St-Jérôme, and St-Eustache had announced their resignations.

The soon-to-be vacant positions remain filled. Brousseau said that given the importance of those positions, the professionals who have announced their resignations will be replaced.

“Our priority remains ensuring services and care for the population,” Brousseau remarked.

She added that the situation has had no impact on patient care.

“Currently, no impact is being observed on clinical services. We are continuously monitoring the situation across the province,” Brousseau said.