OHIP Physician Payment Delay May 2025: A Note From the OMA To Physicians That Every Clinic Owner Needs To Know

Today, Ms Kimberly Moran, CEO of the OMA issued this statement to physician members. It was sent via email.

The two things clinic owners / operators need to keep in mind:

1) Doctors will be tighter on cash that usual this month, and as between 20% - 30% of them are technically insolvent, many will likely ask for advances against billings or will see about taking extra shifts. This may be a good opportunity to find a win-win by giving extra time at moments where the clinic will be busy already and can benefit from bring that much closer to capacity.

2) The payments are going to physicians directly -so remember to invoice them for any overheads funds that they may owe you from the work. If you’re unsure how to do those calculations or confirm what your invoices should be, we’re happy to help.

Dear members,

Late last week, we received a troubling update from the Ministry of Health regarding the lump-sum payment that fee-for-service physicians are receiving on their May Remittance Advice. It’s unacceptable.

As noted in an update in OMA News, the payment was originally planned as a 9.95 per cent lump-sum payment for services provided April 1, to December 31, 2024.

Now, the ministry has told us it is paying a lump-sum that includes only services provided April 1 to October 31, 2024. Their plan is to postpone payment for the last two months of 2024 to the November 2025 RA. That’s a significant payment that would be delayed for six months—and it’s far too long. 

We understand this last-minute change of plans is extremely disruptive for all of you after planning your business and personal finances around a mutually agreed payment timeline, signed by the ministry. 

We are also aware a similar issue happened recently when the ministry postponed specialty-specific increases by a month. 

In both cases, we received very short notice about these delays. We work with the ministry in good faith, but when they fail to make payments on time it has a serious impact on the relationship, our ability to work constructively with the government and confidence in the bargaining and implementation process. 

Our legal teams are meeting with the government tomorrow to express our concern with the process and press for this to be resolved sooner than November. We will keep you updated as we learn more. 

Sincerely, 

Kimberly Moran, OMA CEO