Ontario’s Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced the province will not grant billing codes to nurse practitioners, despite federal calls to regulate and fund them by April 1.
Instead, the Ford government plans to integrate nurse practitioners fully into the publicly funded healthcare system. Jones cited inconsistencies in the federal approach and lack of additional funding as key concerns.
“We are going to see inconsistency across provinces and territories, but Ontario will be in compliance,” Jones stated.
She emphasized embedding nurse practitioners in multidisciplinary teams and hospitals but offered no timeline or cost estimates for the transition.
Nurse practitioners currently seek flexible funding options similar to family doctors, including fee-for-service or patient-enrolled models. However, Jones ruled out direct OHIP billing, citing the need for negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association.
Opposition leaders criticized the decision, calling it premature and poorly planned. Liberal health critic Adil Shamji urged broader consultation.
"There are many different ways that nurse practitioners could be publicly funded," Shamji said.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles questioned why the issue had not been resolved earlier, noting the government has held power for over eight years.
Currently, nurse practitioners in Ontario manage patient assessments, testing, prescriptions, and treatments in various public and private settings.
Two years ago, subscription-based private clinics sparked controversy. Jones called on the federal government to close the regulatory loophole enabling their operation.
In 2024, she formally requested federal action to prevent nonphysicians from charging fees for publicly funded services.