B.C.'s medical watchdog seeking injunction against Telus Health program

British Columbia's Medical Services Commission has applied for an injunction against a Telus Health program, alleging its billing model contravenes the province's Medicare Protection Act.

The LifePlus service, which was reviewed by the commission earlier this year, has been described as creating a "two-tiered" system by charging for services that should be covered under the B.C.'s medical services plan.

Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the application for an injunction Thursday.

"Earlier this year, I directed the Medical Services Commission to review Telus Health following complaints made by the public of illegal extra billing," he said at a news conference held Thursday afternoon.

"It is very important to uphold the Medicare Protection Act, which is in place to preserve our publicly managed and fiscally sustainable health-care system for British Columbia. Access to necessary medical care should be based on need and not an individual's ability to pay."

The findings of the review are not publicly available and the BC Greens have demanded they be released.

A representative from Telus Health says the company was blindsided.

“To not, at this point, be given an opportunity to even have a discussion, to even get a response on our inquiries, to say, 'If there’s something that you think is not right let us know, we will fix it.' We’re blind right now on that, and I think that’s very disrespectful and quite a shame,” said Juggy Sihota, vice president of consumer health for Telus Health.

Dix doesn’t see it that way.

“The process requires an exchange of information and information received, and it has done over the last number of months with Telus Health and others,” said Dix.

One expert tells CTV News the timing of the injunction application comes when the province is facing a severe doctor shortage.

“These type of two-tier-health-care models, where access is based on your wallet and the ability to pay, is going to be moving and siphoning health-care providers and – in this case – primarily family physicians, out of a system that’s based on need,” said Andrew Longhurst, a health policy researcher at Simon Fraser University.

Telus Health claims it isn’t knowingly breaking any rules.

“The LifePlus program is a small, preventative service,” said Sihota. “We do not charge for primary care services with our LifePlus service. Our fee is preventative health, uninsured services like dieticians, kinesiologist, health and wellness services.”

Sihota says LifePlus has approximately 4,000 users and 25 doctors.

Dix says the Medical Services Commission will argue its case for an injunction in the coming weeks, but wouldn’t provide any details of the filings as it’s now before the court.

Telus Health, meanwhile, isn’t backing down.

“We welcome the legal proceedings,” said Sihota. “We welcome the opportunity to make sure that the right facts and details are shared. So expect that.”