Quebec expands the range of surgeries that can be performed privately free of charge

Quebec's Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, responds to the opposition during question period at the Quebec National Assembly on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Faced with a backlog of surgical procedures, the Quebec government announced on Wednesday morning that it was expanding the range of services that can be performed in private clinics, at no cost to Quebecers.

Health Minister Christian Dubé announced in a press release that Quebecers will now be able to go to specialist medical centres for a wider range of surgeries, including orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat, gynaecology and urology.

In all, around twenty services have been added to the list in the regulation on specialist medical treatment provided in a specialist medical centre.

Previously, this was limited to cataracts, knees and hips. According to the government, more than 260,000 Quebecers have had surgery at these clinics.

The new regulations will come into force on Dec. 19.

The government maintains that this complementarity between the private and public sectors will enable it to reduce waiting lists for surgery.

“As part of the health plan, our objective is very clear: to improve access for Quebecers. That's why we're working to give patients who have been waiting for several months faster access to surgery, free of charge,’ said Dubé in a press release.

“We must continue to give priority to patients by building on the complementary nature of the public and private networks.”