In response to today’s Auditor General’s Report on the Medical Care Plan and Dental Health Plan, the Department of Health and Community Services is advising that it has accepted the recommendations and is highlighting ongoing work to address the issues raised.

Guided by Health Accord NL to reimagine the delivery of health care in Newfoundland and Labrador, the department has already actioned many initiatives that are consistent with the Auditor General’s recommendations. Work in these important areas includes:

• Supported by strategic investments, work is ongoing with the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services to modernize digital health care technology such as the MCP system, including such things as the state of the aging system, general control deficiencies, and the lack of data entry controls.
  • This builds on the $620 million allocated last year for a new health information system that will significantly transform digital health capabilities.
• Engaging with WorkplaceNL to prevent and detect double billing, which has already led to five audits regarding possible double billing of services.
• Working with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association to review the compliance program to educate physicians on billing practices and to reduce unnecessary administrative burden.
• Working closely with the Department of Justice and Public Safety and external legal counsel representing providers with outstanding accounts receivable balances to bring resolution to those audit files and to advance matters throughout the recovery processes.
• Ensuring all manual reimbursements through the adult dental program have appropriate management approvals, improve the auditing process, and ensure funds are properly distributed to providers of the MCP and dental health plan.
• Continuing to increase resources where appropriate to ensure timely collection of overpayments.

MCP continues to monitor and assess compliance, as well as apply safeguards as appropriate. There were 44 audits started from October 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, and 54 audits started from April 2024 to present.

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“We thank the staff of the Office of the Auditor General for their valuable work and the recommendations in this report. We have accepted all recommendations. We remain focused on working with stakeholders to make improvements to oversight and to replace the antiquated IT infrastructure at Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services. We are committed to continuing to making improvements and adding more oversight.”
Honourable John Haggie
Acting Minister of Health and Community Services

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