British Columbia Bill 219 (Private Member) — 43rd Parliament, 1st Session — Previous Version 1

43-1 Member Bill 219-1

British Columbia — Bills

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1st Session, 43rd Parliament

(2025) FIRST READING

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

ANNA KINDY

BILL M 219 – 2025

HEALTH AUTHORITIES

AMENDMENT ACT, 2025

HIS MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

CLAUSE 1: [Health Authorities Act,

Part 2.1] adds a new Part to the Act that requires

health authorities to determine the medically recommended time period for health services and to notify a patient when the patient will not receive health services to treat a serious medical condition within that time period, and

certain reporting by health authorities and the minister.

1 The Health Authorities Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 180, is amended by adding the following part:

Part 2.1 – Transparency in the Provisions of Health Services

Definitions

19.01 In this Part:

"patient" means a beneficiary as defined in the Medicare Protection Act ;

"diagnostic facility" means a diagnostic facility as defined in the Medicare Protection Act ;

"health services" includes a diagnostic service provided at a diagnostic facility and medical, surgical or obstetrical care;

"medically recommended time period" means the provincial standard for provision of health services established by the minister under this Act or, if no provincial standard is established, the period of time that is recognized by the board as being the period within which the health service should be provided to prevent

(

a) the death of a patient, or

(

b) the condition of the patient from worsening and causing permanent serious negative impacts on the patient's health;

"serious medical condition" means a disease, disorder, or dysfunction which will cause or directly contribute to the death of a patient without intervention.

Board to determine time period for care

19.02 A board in receipt of a recommendation from a medical practitioner that a patient receive health services to treat or detect a serious medical condition must, as soon as reasonably practicable, determine

(

a) the medically recommended time period within which the health services should be provided, and

(

b) the expected time period within which the patient will receive the health services.

Notice when timely care unavailable

19.03

(1) If a board determines under 19.02 that a patient will not receive health services to treat or detect a serious medical condition within the medically recommended time period, the board must, as soon as reasonably practicable provide notice to the patient.

(2) Notice under subsection (1) must include the following information:

(

a) the health services recommended in relation to the patient's serious medical condition;

(

b) the medically recommended time period within which the patient should receive the health services;

(

c) the expected time period within which the patient will receive the health services;

(

d) the options if any, that are available to the patient for obtaining equivalent health services outside of the board's region.

Reporting

19.04

(1) A board must report to the minister when

(

a) the board becomes aware that a patient scheduled to receive health services for a serious medical condition dies before receiving the health services to treat or detect the serious medical condition, and

(

b) a medical practitioner is of the reasonable opinion that the death was caused by or directly attributable to the serious medical condition.

(2) The minister must, by January 31 of each calendar year,

(

a) table a report setting out the number of deaths reported in the previous calendar year under subsection (1) in the Legislative Assembly if the Legislative Assembly is then sitting, or deposit the report with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly if the Legislative Assembly is not sitting, and

(

b) post the report referred to in paragraph (

a) on a publicly accessible website maintained by or on behalf of the ministry of the minister.

CLAUSE 2: [Health Authorities Act,

section 21] adds a regulation-making power with respect to the form and content of a report.

Section 21 (2) is amended by striking out " exemption. " at the end of paragraph (

s) and substituting " exemption; " and by adding the following paragraph:

(

t) specifying the form and content of a report required under

section 19.04.

Transitional Provision

CLAUSE 3: [Transition – reporting] provides a transition rule relating to reporting requirements made by this Bill.

Transition – reporting

3 If this Act comes into force after June 30, the minister is not required to publish an annual report under

section 19.04 of the Health Authorities Act in relation to the calendar year in which this Act comes into force.

Commencement

4 This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council or on the date that is six months after the date of Royal Assent, whichever is earlier.

Explanatory Notes