Government Investing in Primary Care Stabilization

Released on November 3, 2023

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing one-time stabilization funding of $20 million to community-based fee-for-service family physicians in Saskatchewan. This funding is a transitional measure that will build capacity for physicians to eventually adopt a new made-in-Saskatchewan family physician payment model based on blended capitation. Blended capitation offers two streams of remuneration to family physicians:

• A base payment for a standard basket of services, and
• additional fee-for-service payments for extra services provided outside of the defined basket of services.

The stabilization funding will support family doctors who provide primary care services in clinic settings that provide in-person patient visits. This funding will support the delivery of essential health care services to patients in their communities.

"Timely and local access to a family physician is extremely important to Saskatchewan families," Health Minister Everett Hindley said. "We appreciate the ongoing efforts of Saskatchewan's family doctors and their ability to provide quality care to patients in their communities. We are in a competitive environment with other jurisdictions to attract and retain family physicians and this funding will help our efforts to keep our doctors here."

Physicians licensed to practice and deliver services on a fee-for-service basis in Saskatchewan can apply to receive stabilization funding of up to $40,000/physician. Physicians will be asked to declare their intent to remain practicing in Saskatchewan until the new physician agreement is ratified. Full-time and part-time fee-for-service family physicians are eligible to apply.

"Today's announcement of this one-time stabilization funding for family physicians demonstrates the government's commitment to addressing ongoing challenges faced by family physicians in Saskatchewan," Saskatchewan Medical Association President Dr. Annette Epp said. "We welcome this first step toward a final agreement for Saskatchewan physicians, which includes a new payment model for family physicians."

The specific distribution and program parameters of the stabilization funding will be detailed in a forthcoming Letter of Agreement between the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Medical Association.

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