NOVA SCOTIA: The provincial government is cementing its commitment to universal mental health and addictions care for all Nova Scotians through legislative changes introduced on Oct. 13.
Amendments to the Health Services and Insurance Act allow the minister of Addictions and Mental Health to establish insured service programs to deliver mental health and addictions care as part of a publicly funded healthcare system.
“We made a commitment to Nova Scotians to provide universal access to mental health and addictions care as part of a publicly funded system – and we are pulling every available lever to connect people to care,” Minister of Addictions and Mental Health Brian Comer said. “We’re investing in our formal healthcare system, launching new and innovative tools and supports, and funding community-based organizations, all of which are connecting more people to the care they need.”
The Health Services and Insurance Act provides the legal framework for insured healthcare services in Nova Scotia, including the Medical Services Insurance (MSI) Plan. It supports the delivery of publicly funded healthcare services as outlined in federal legislation.
Amendments to the act grant authority to the minister of Addictions and Mental Health to establish insured service programs that enable the delivery of healthcare services to Nova Scotians – authority that already exists for the minister of Health and Wellness.
“With these legislative changes, we’re able to tap into the capacity that exists in our private sector, making important mental health and addictions services available to everyone,” Comer said. “Not just those who can afford to pay.”
Insured service programs include fee-for-service models using health service codes that outline billing fees. Under this model – used for decades by doctors, dentists, pharmacists and many other healthcare providers – the government determines which services will be publicly funded, and at what cost. The provider bills the province directly for the service they provide to Nova Scotians.
The updated legislation deems mental health and addictions care as important as physical health care. It will also reduce red tape, allowing faster implementation of new programs and services, and remove outdated language based on gender.
In 2021, Nova Scotia became the first province in Canada to commit to universal mental health and addictions care for all its residents, and the first to appoint a dedicated minister to deliver on the commitment and the government has invested $65 million in mental health and addictions care over the past two years.