Rockland MD seems to be taking advantage of a loophole around the auxiliary fee ban that goes into effect this week.
As of Thursday January 29th it's illegal to charge a patient extra fees, but it's not illegal to charge a company, so patients say Rockland MD has been telling them to find a company to bill if they want a procedure done.
That's what Rouge FM radio host Marie-Helen Proulx says happened last week when she tried to book a medical test.
"She told me if you have around you a company or like if you know someone..." says Proulx. "If my husband had a company then I think it would have been okay."
She says because she didn't own a company to charge the expenses to - they wouldn't book her an appointment.
"I was shocked, really, I left the reception and I was really angry," she says she suspects the practise may be illegal, or at least contrary to what the Health Ministry intended. "I don't think that Gaetan Barette dit that, I think that Rockland MD did that."
Dr. Fernand Taras of Rockland MD says they can't charge patients fees anymore - so the only way to perform the services is if an employer agrees to pay for it.
"Starting tomorrow a clinic can no longer charge a fee for medication," he says. "So those specialists in most cases are not providing the service anymore because they can't, because they cannot charge for the medication."
He says there must be some kind of misunderstanding because the company that pays for the procedure must be the patient's employer - it can't be just any company.
"The spirit of the communication is 'I'm very sorry we can't provide you any appointment because the law is being changed," he says. "So the only legal avenue that is offered is that, should your employer wish to cover that expense that can be considered, because it's legally acceptable."
He says continuing to offer services like ultrasounds and colonoscopies is too expensive without charging patients auxiliary fees.
RAMQ urges patients to contact them if you suspect a clinic is trying to dodge the rules.