“I want to reassure anyone speaking English, including immigrants, that we will not refuse to treat patients in English if it’s needed,” he said.
But — though it may be lost on the average Quebecer — it turns out there’s a distinction to be made between health care and health insurance when it comes to changes under Bill 96. So since June 1, the RAMQ — like the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec or city hall — is allowed to communicate in English only with a narrow subset of the population. Those deemed eligible include Quebecers who have previously received services in English, Indigenous people and immigrants who have been here less than six months.Article content— even to simply look at the English content on a public website.
That health insurance doesn’t count as health care given how closely they are entwined is one of those subtle nuances of Bill 96 that expose its absurdities and the emptiness of promises about nothing changing. But it still doesn’t explain — or excuse — Starkey’s experience, since both she and her husband should qualify for service in English no matter what.Article content