New Brunswick’s Department of Finance and Treasury Board has released its annual report of payments made to physicians.
Miramichi radiologist Dr. Stewart MacMillan and Sussex family physician Dr. Sunita MacMullin are tied for the top spot.
Both billed the province for between $1.65 million and $1.699 million during the 2020-21 fiscal year.
In total, 28 of the 1,716 physicians listed billed the province for more than $1 million.
The overwhelming majority — more than 1,300 physicians — made less than $500,000.
Dr. Mark MacMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said these payments do not represent a physician’s personal income.
“Most New Brunswick physicians are small business owners. They are responsible for significant operating costs such as office rent, staff salaries and benefits, medical equipment, and insurance,” said MacMillan.
MacMillan said they also face some of the highest income tax rates in the country, and early career physicians often start out with significant student debt from years of training.
“If New Brunswick is to address major health care issues such as access to primary care or surgical and specialist wait times, we need to be successful in recruiting and retaining physicians. This will not be possible unless we remain competitive with other jurisdictions in Canada and abroad,” he said.
You can see the full list of payments online.
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