HRC strongly advocates for timely and sustainable reforms to the Professional Services Guideline (PSG) to ensure fair compensation for physiotherapists treating auto insurance claims. The current rates are the lowest in Canada, with fee schedules remaining frozen since 2014, and some rates unchanged since 2010. This has resulted in reduced access to care, incomplete patient recovery, and increased reliance on Ontario’s public support systems.

Without adjustments for inflation and fair market value, healthcare providers are forced to subsidize auto insurers, creating an unsustainable framework. Many clinics have ceased offering care to auto accident victims, further limiting consumer choice and leading to worsened recovery outcomes.

HRC urges the government to prioritize fair compensation models, which will attract and retain skilled providers while ensuring accident victims receive the timely, comprehensive care they need. Adjusting rates and implementing ongoing indexing mechanisms are essential to preserving the viability of the healthcare sector and maintaining access to care.

The current Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) underfunds attendant care benefits, with hourly rates far below market value. This makes it nearly impossible to attract and retain qualified providers, exacerbating the shortage of in-home care for vulnerable individuals. Patients are left to rely on publicly funded services, further increasing costs to Ontario taxpayers.

Additionally, restrictive policies prevent physiotherapists and chiropractors from completing Form 1 assessments, delaying patient recovery and increasing administrative inefficiencies. Reinstating their ability to complete Form 1 will streamline processes, improve access to care, and reduce system costs.

HRC calls for immediate adjustments to attendant care rates to ensure competitive compensation, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the strain on Ontario’s public healthcare system.

The Health Service Provider (HSP) Licensing framework imposes unnecessary administrative burdens on clinics while duplicating oversight already provided by healthcare colleges. These redundant regulations are unique to the auto insurance sector and do not exist for other healthcare areas, such as OHIP or WSIB.

Fraud among regulated healthcare providers is virtually nonexistent, making these additional requirements ineffective and wasteful. Instead, they divert resources from patient care and reduce the availability of providers, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

HRC advocates for the removal of the HSP Licensing framework to eliminate redundancy, reduce administrative strain, and allow providers to focus on delivering essential care.

The Health Claims for Auto Insurance (HCAI) system, last updated in 2010, is outdated and cumbersome. Lengthy and redundant forms create administrative challenges for clinics while adding stress for claimants. These inefficiencies increase costs and delay recovery for accident victims.

Modernizing and digitizing the HCAI system is essential to reducing administrative burdens, streamlining processes, and improving the overall experience for both healthcare providers and patients.

HRC recommends immediate investment in a modernized HCAI platform to ensure efficient claims processing, reduce administrative costs, and support better patient outcomes.

Under the current system, patients must exhaust their Extended Health Care (EHC) plans before auto insurance coverage applies. This approach is inequitable, forcing patients to deplete their supplementary benefits and endure significant administrative burdens.

Employers face rising group health plan premiums, and employees are left without coverage for non-auto-related injuries. Clinics must manage extensive follow-ups with insurers, further driving up costs.

HRC supports the timely removal of auto insurance as the primary payer for motor vehicle accident injuries. This shift would streamline claims, reduce inefficiencies, and lower financial strain for patients, employers, and clinics.

The inefficiencies and inequities in Ontario’s auto insurance framework have far-reaching consequences, including clinic closures, reduced access to care, and increased reliance on public support programs such as ODSP. Patients unable to access timely treatment face prolonged recovery times and permanent disabilities, resulting in decreased workforce participation and increased financial strain on the provincial budget.

Addressing these systemic issues will reduce societal costs, enhance patient outcomes, and promote economic growth. HRC urges the government to act swiftly to implement reforms that align with Ontario’s goals of cost efficiency, patient-centered care, and system sustainability.