For the past eight months doctors in private clinic have not been able to charge patients accessory fees for various services that are covered through public health insurance.
The controversial practice was abolished to comply with federal regulations, and Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette had hoped it would improve accessibility.
According to some doctors the move has, in some cases, made it harder for Quebecers to get basic health services.
"Every week, several patients come in and say 'this really frustrates me, why can't you do this?'" Dr. Mitchell Shiller, a pediatrician, told CTV Montreal.
The old system allowed patients to pay for convenience. Parents could book a doctor's appointment for their child, purchase vaccines at the office and then have the doctor administer the shot all in one day.
"They didn't have to make a second appointment to go to the CLSC if they were willing to pay a nominal charge. Parents chose accordingly, whatever their wishes were, and it was respected," Shiller explained. "The biggest issue for many parents now, they have to take a second day off work-getting appointments is not very easy."
Shiller added the new rules could have negative public health consequences, in particular with patients who need to be convinced to be vaccinated.
"You've convinced them at that point to do the vaccine and they go 'OK, can I have the vaccine today?' and I look at them and go 'I don't have the vaccine anymore.' I know that leaving the office, for them to call the CLSC, book an appointment, make that appointment, the odds of her getting vaccinated are slim."
Dr. Diane Francoeur, head of Quebec's Federation of Medical Specialists said a similar situation is happening with IUD's-intra-uterine contraceptive devices. What once needed one visit to a doctor now necessitates a trip to the pharmacy and several doctors' visits.
It's also more expensive.
"We know that with accessory fees, the amount of money that patients have to pay at the pharmacy is much higher than what physicians would sell the device like the IUD at the office before," Dr. Francoeur said.
Last week, the Health Minister said he's looking into the frustrations, and wants to update the new regulations in the fall, but no definitive decision has been made.
"The public is sending, or asking, or criticizing that measure-they want to go back to where it was before, and I'm contemplating exactly that," Barrette said.