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FALL 2006 |
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H
E A L T H A D M I N I S T R A T I O N
What
you should know about MCP re-registration
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Department of Health and
Community Services Photo |
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MCP is asking for
physicians’ cooperation in advising patients to re-register. To help
with that process, MCP will, in the coming month, supply doctors
offices, clinics and hospitals with re-registration forms to ensure that
all residents have re-registered by the deadline.
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By Tony Maher |
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The Department of Health and Community
Services is conducting a re-registration of MCP for all residents of
the province, issuing new, modernized cards. In addition to the MCP
number, the new card will contain an individual’s birth date, gender
and an expiry date. This means that all cardholders will be
responsible for the renewal of their MCP cards in order to maintain
coverage.
The Department is asking all residents to
register for their new MCP card by March 31, 2007, giving almost a year
for residents to re-register. Forms have been sent to all households in
the province with an information brochure and accompanying letter,
explaining the process.
Starting April 1, 2007, as patients
present for treatment, we are asking for physicians’ cooperation in
ensuring that patients have a new and valid MCP card and that the expiry
date is noted in the patient’s file. This will prevent any delay in
payment of physician MCP claims. Physicians are asked to manage patients
who do not have valid MCP cards in exactly the same way in which they
handle them today.
MCP is asking for physicians’ cooperation
in advising patients to re-register. To help with that process, MCP
will, in the coming month, supply doctors offices, clinics and hospitals
with re-registration forms to ensure that all residents have
re-registered by the deadline. Physicians will not be asked to do any
clerical work or incur any expense to re-register their patients. It
will be the responsibility of patients to complete their own forms. MCP
will also supply doctors’ offices with suitable promotional materials to
facilitate this changeover.
The re-registration initiative comes in
response to the Auditor General’s 2003 recommendations to strengthen
controls over the registration process, improve security of MCP cards
and provide an accountable mechanism for monitoring of the MCP database.
The Auditor General reported an estimated 80,000 more beneficiary
numbers issued than there were residents in the province. To date, the
department has received over 165,000 re-registration applications and
approximately 95,000 new MCP cards have been issued.
Through re-registration we are enhancing
the security for beneficiaries and tightening the controls over the
administration of the program. Ultimately, this will help to ensure that
only eligible beneficiaries permanently residing in the province are
able to avail of coverage under MCP. The end result will be greater
accountability and fiscal responsibility to the people of this province.
We thank physicians for their cooperation and invite you to contact us
at the MCP office if you have any further questions or concerns.
Tony Maher is the executive director,
audit and claims integrity, with the Department of Health and Community
Services.
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