Chamber
quebec
Stage
Introduced
This Quebec bill would give all pregnant women and persons access to provincial health and drug insurance regardless of immigration status.
Key Changes
- Extends Quebec health insurance plan (RAMQ) eligibility to all pregnant women and persons in Quebec regardless of immigration or migratory status
- Extends basic prescription drug insurance plan eligibility to the same group
- Removes immigration status as a barrier to accessing provincial health coverage during pregnancy
- Applies to anyone physically living in Quebec who is pregnant, not just those with legal residency
Gotchas
- The bill passed its introduction vote unanimously (109–0), suggesting broad cross-party support at that early stage, though later stages could still see opposition.
- The bill is a private member's bill, not a government bill, which typically face more difficulty advancing through the full legislative process.
- It is unclear from the available text how eligibility would be verified or administered for individuals without standard immigration documentation.
- The fiscal impact — how many additional people would be covered and at what cost to the provincial health system — is not specified in the bill text.
- The bill's scope appears limited to pregnancy-related eligibility; it does not appear to extend general health coverage to all non-status individuals.
Who's Affected
- Undocumented or non-status pregnant individuals living in Quebec
- Refugee claimants and asylum seekers who are pregnant
- Temporary residents or those with uncertain immigration status who are pregnant
- Quebec's health insurance board (RAMQ), which would administer expanded coverage
- Healthcare providers serving pregnant patients without current coverage
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill passed its introduction vote unanimously (109–0), suggesting broad cross-party support at that early stage, though later stages could still see opposition.
- The bill is a private member's bill, not a government bill, which typically face more difficulty advancing through the full legislative process.
- It is unclear from the available text how eligibility would be verified or administered for individuals without standard immigration documentation.
- The fiscal impact — how many additional people would be covered and at what cost to the provincial health system — is not specified in the bill text.
- The bill's scope appears limited to pregnancy-related eligibility; it does not appear to extend general health coverage to all non-status individuals.
Summary
Bill 894 is a private member's bill introduced in the Quebec National Assembly that would extend eligibility for Quebec's health insurance plan (RAMQ) and basic prescription drug insurance plan to all women or pregnant persons living in Quebec, no matter their immigration or migratory status. Currently, access to these provincial health programs is generally tied to legal residency or immigration status, which can leave undocumented or non-status individuals without coverage. The bill was introduced by MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard of Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne and passed its introduction stage unanimously (109 votes in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions) on December 4, 2024. It was reinstated in the second session of the 43rd Legislature in October 2025, meaning it continued moving through the legislative process rather than starting over. The bill aims to ensure that all pregnant people in Quebec can access essential medical and pharmaceutical care regardless of their legal status in Canada.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses