Ontario government to scrap ineffective medical tests, duplicative services to cut costs

TORONTO – Ontario will eliminate some ineffective medical tests and duplicative physician services as it cuts costs in the health care system.

The changes, which include scrapping some ineffective infertility tests and repetitive pre-operative assessments, stem from recommendations by a group that was looking into restricting inappropriate or overused physician services.

The government says the changes will go into effect Oct. 1.

The group also recommended more accurate sinus testing and technology updates to some cardiac monitoring devices.

The committee, which is made up of members from the provincial government and the Ontario Medical Association, was tasked with coming up with changes that could result in $460 million in savings.

The ministry says implementing the recommendations will result in savings $83 million a year.