A dispute opposes nearly 200 medical specialists and the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec, which is claiming a record amount of $17.7 million from them for costs they allegedly overcharged.
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According to information from our Bureau of Investigation, 182 radiologists were asked to pay sums sometimes exceeding $100,000 for having billed fees related to arthrograms performed under fluoroscopy.
These interventions, also called infiltrations, allow a drug such as cortisone to be injected into the right place in a joint.
The amount billed is around $60 according to the medical specialist billing manual. It is in addition to other reimbursed costs for treating a patient.
The amount claimed following a RAMQ audit is by far the largest in recent years. Most of the time, the amounts vary between a few hundred or thousands of dollars.
Yesterday, The newspaper revealed that 88 radiologists received more than $1 million in compensation. This is the specialty with the most millionaire doctors.
Protests
Last spring, some private clinics had temporarily suspended this service to protest against the government’s decision to modify billing, which was used in particular to pay part of the rent, technologists and equipment.
An agreement was reached in July between the Ministry of Health and the Association des radiologistes du Québec (ARQ).
The radiologists, however, dispute the claims of the RAMQ which relate to the period from 2017 to 2019.
Silence
The subject is so sensitive that neither the RAMQ nor the Association wanted to comment publicly.
“The Association des radiologistes du Québec wants to let the talks take their course without interfering in this important process,” indicated Natacha Joncas Boudreau, of the public relations firm TACT.
Same silence on the RAMQ side, which indicates that the case has been before the arbitration board since July 22.
“RAMQ’s role with regard to the remuneration of health professionals is to ensure that they bill in accordance with the agreements negotiated with the MSSS and to carry out checks on the billing of services rendered”, says its spokesperson, Caroline Dupont.
Arthrography in a nutshell
■ Arthrography is an X-ray examination that injects a drug, such as cortisone, into the right place in the joint (eg, a shoulder or a hip).
■ A contrast liquid is injected so that you can see if the needle is in the right place before injecting the drug.