(Quebec) The Legault government expects by June the conclusions of a working group on which sits the international NGO Doctors of the World concerning the medical coverage of migrants with precarious status, including pregnant women who must pay more than 10,000 $ to give birth.
Health Minister Christian Dubé said Thursday on Radio-Canada’s morning show in Montreal that he hopes to make a decision quickly once the report is tabled. He did not then comment on this file before or after the question period in the Blue Room.
Mr. Dubé was reacting to the front page of The PressThursday, as journalist Suzanne Colpron revealed that the non-governmental organization Doctors of the World is overwhelmed with cases of precarious status migrants in Montreal who do not have access to medical insurance coverage because of their status.
Since 2021, children whose parents have settled or intend to settle in Quebec for a period of more than six months are covered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), regardless of their status. immigration of their parents. However, women who give birth to these children are not covered during their pregnancy. Some have to go into debt to give birth.
Preventing “obstetric tourism”
Christian Dubé said on the show All one morning that it was also necessary to “be careful” concerning the delicate question of “obstetric tourism”, that is to say when women come to give birth in another country where health insurance is more advantageous. The Minister of Health hopes that the working committee will propose possible solutions to limit this phenomenon.
The leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), Marc Tanguay, believes for his part that there will be no “tourism of pregnant women” if Quebec covers health care for pregnant migrant women with precarious status.
“There’s an expression that says you can’t be half pregnant. You can’t give birth halfway either. A baby comes with a mom. […] In our constituency offices, we have cases like this every month, of women who come together with bills. I saw one recently [à] $35,000. It’s a decision chain that is harmful for the mother and for the baby, ”also lamented Vincent Marissal of Quebec solidaire (QS).
Joël Arseneau of the Parti Québécois (PQ), for his part, wants Quebec to submit the recommendations of the working committee to the parliamentary committee so that they can be studied.