A researcher from the Institute for Socio-Economic Research and Information (IRIS) believes that the inclusion of doctors, which gives them clear tax benefits, eliminates huge profits in Quebec society.
In an open letter sent to Radio-Canada on the sideline of a family medicine groups (GMF) study, to be published on Thursday, researcher Anne Plourde lamented the high cost, for the population, of medical training that allows doctors. to practice within a joint-stock company or a general partnership with limited liability.
Introduced about fifteen years ago, the merger dramatically allows doctors to benefit from a tax rate for small businesses-less than for high-income individuals-, which will be deferred to a later date. that year some taxable income or divide the dividend income between their family members designated as shareholders.
The tax savings achieved by doctors are enormous losses for the treasury, which has been deprived in part of the means necessary to supply services to the population, including health services and social services.written by the researcher.
” The formation of its “medicine inc.” is very useful for physicians from a fiscal point of view, but it is done at the expense of the rest of the population. “
His diagnosis is the same as that made by Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) in 2016. Then in opposition, François Legault’s party said it wanted to end the inclusion of doctors, arguing that the tax framework would deprive the state of Quebec of $ 150 million that could instead be allocated to improved funding for home care in the province.
Six years later, the observation is more marked because the number of doctors who turn to integration is in continuous increaseto the point that it has now reached 60% of them, underlined Anne Plourde, based on data obtained from the College of Physicians under an access to information request.
For the first time, however, the overall proportion fell last year, according to figures provided by the College of Physicians.
The proportion of physicians who opted for this tax framework specifically reached 53% among general practitioners and 67% among medical specialists.
Last year, 14,781 physicians, or 8,624 specialist physicians and 6,157 family physicians, chose to include their practice, the researcher indicates. However, he said the growth since 2014 has been more marked by family physicians.
Losses exceed $ 250 million, according to IRIS
The researcher was saddened, despite the freedom of information requeststhat the Ministère des Finances du Québec refuse (or [soit] not) count lost tax revenues for the government (and benefits for physicians).
Defining the figure presented a few years ago by CAQsaid Anne Plourde already the only estimate provided by the department was a reference to an article in 2014, which estimated tax savings at $ 20,000 per year on average for incorporated medical specialists and $ 13,000 for general practitioners. In documents obtained, the Ministry of Finance specified in 2017 that the $ 150 million tax losses cited included the governments of Quebec and Canada.
We can assume that tax losses attributed to the inclusion of physicians now amount to $ 252.5 million for two levels of government, that is $ 172.5 million for medical specialists and $ 80 million for general practitioners, -elle wrote , which makes projections based on average estimates for 2014.
While the researcher acknowledges that these numbers may be lower due to changes made to the federal tax system in 2018, he is more convinced that they are likely to be greatly underestimated[s]. increases big in medical compensation is likely to have a large increase in tax losseshe wrote.
The financial framework for the inclusion of doctors was established in 2007 by Jean Charest’s Liberal government, when Philippe Couillard, a physician, was Minister of Health.
Thanks to improving working conditions and compensation, Quebec generally hopes to improve patient care.
Access to care is also set to be an important theme for elections next October, especially after two years of pandemic.
Earlier this month, the Legault government reached an agreement in principle with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) to improve access to the first line.
In March, Minister of Health and Social Services Christian Dubé unveiled a plan aimed at providing accessible and effective health care to all Quebecers, specifically to the millions of citizens without a family doctor, through a one-stop -shop. for primary care.
General practitioners have strongly condemned Prime Minister François Legault’s threat to legislate to force family doctors to care for more patients.
A few months before the election, Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade also promised, on Tuesday, a family doctor to all Quebecers who want it as part of its Health Access program.
The study ofIRIS to be published Thursday is the third in private health in Quebec conducted as part of Anne Plourde’s post-doctoral study. The first two, published in 2021 and 2022, discuss seniors ’accommodations and in -home service placement agencies.
Source: Radio-Canada
