Health

Canada Just Redefined What "Free Healthcare" Means — and Virtual Care Companies Are Scrambling

Starting April 1, 2026, Canada's federal government says charging patients for a nurse practitioner visit is the same legal violation as charging them for a doctor's visit. The policy closes a loophole that virtual care platforms and private clinics have used for years — and it's forcing a quiet reckoning over what "medically necessary" actually means under the Canada Health Act.