RE: Theoretically, family doctors are private businesses. They pay office costs, pay salaries, ect... The difference is they charge back to Ministry of Health.
SOME THOUGHTS:
* I hope they are reimbursed the cost of treating the patient. Here in the USA, Doctors are complaining that their Medicaid reimbursements are in many cases, LESS than what they spent.
I’ve already seen a few doctors I know who have OPTED OUT of participating in Medicaid.
* What can a patient do if they need specialize treatment? Are there family doctor specialists? Or are they mostly just general practitioners?
My American wife was surprised that Canadians don’t generally have pediatric doctors for their children. Everyone pretty much sees their general doctor. To see a specialist you must be referred by your family doctor. And they are few and far between. I know on Vancouver Island in BC (population 600,000), there was one brain specialist, and one allergy specialist. Took me 8 months to see the brain specialist. My family doctor refused to send me to the allergy specialist saying my allergies were not bad enough to warrant the cost to the system. So I got another family doctor and got that sorted out.