Bill C-239: An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (accountability)

R.S., c. C- 6 Canada Health Act 1 Section 4 of the Canada Health Act is replaced by the following: Purpose of this Act 4 The purpose of this Act is to establish criteria, conditions and requirements in respect of insured health services and extended health care services provided under provincial law that must be met before a full cash contribution may be made. 2 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 13: Requirements for Cash Contribution — Accountability Accountability framework 13.1 (1) In order that a province may qualify for a full cash contribution referred to in section 5, the government of the province shall develop and implement an accountability framework that sets standards for reasonable access to health services under the health care insurance plan of the province. Consultation (2) In developing the accountability framework, the minister responsible for health care in the province may consult with the Minister or with ministers responsible for health care in other provinces. Content (3) The accountability framework must include (a) benchmarks for assessing timely access to primary care, elective procedures and emergency care; and (b) transparent reporting requirements in respect of the achievement of those benchmarks and the efficiency of health care spending by the province. Requirement to provide information (4) The government of the province shall provide the Minister with information regarding the measures it has taken to ensure transparent reporting. Those measures must include publishing on a publicly available website (a) the province’s accountability framework; and (b) as soon as feasible after the end of each fiscal year, a report that sets out the extent to which the established benchmarks have been achieved in that year and provides information on the efficiency of the province’s health care spending. Review of benchmarks (5) The government of the province shall periodically review and update the benchmarks based on emerging evidence and best practices in health services delivery. 3 Subsection 14(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of paragraph (a), by adding “or” at the end of paragraph (b) and by adding the following after paragraph (b): (c) the province has failed to implement an accountability framework as required under section 13.1, 4 The portion of subsection 15(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Order reducing or withholding contribution 15 (1) If , on the referral of a matter under section 14, the Governor in Council is of the opinion that the health care insurance plan of a province does not or has ceased to satisfy any one of the criteria described in sections 8 to 12 or that a province has failed to comply with any condition set out in section 13 or with the accountability requirements under section 13.1 , the Governor in Council may, by order, 5 Section 16 of the Act is replaced by the following: Reimposition of reductions or withholdings 16 In the case of a continuing failure to satisfy any of the criteria described in sections 8 to 12 or to comply with any condition set out in section 13 or with the accountability requirements under section 13.1 , any reduction or withholding under section 15 of a cash contribution to a province for a fiscal year shall be reimposed for each succeeding fiscal year as long as the Minister is satisfied, after consultation with the minister responsible for health care in the province, that the default is continuing. Coming into Force Order in council 6 The provisions of this Act come into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.