Why does my doctor not include Annual Physicals anymore?
There is evidence that annual complete physical checkups in healthy individual (with no symptoms) do not significantly improve their risk of disease or death. Since 2012, the Ontario government revamped the coverage for Annual Physicals by changing the definition to targeted screening of age-specific risks (now called a Periodic Health Visit), and reducing the payment to doctors by 30% for the visit. The time allowed for this visit has also been reduced since there is less amount of history, physical exam, and testing.
We also know that excessive medically unnecessary checking or testing can lead to false positive findings, incidental benign findings, anxiety, and unneccessary further invasive investigation and treatment.
Therefore, OHIP does not cover an Annual Complete Physical Exam for healthy individuals anymore. Complete Physical Exams for academic, employment, travel, or volunteering are not OHIP covered.
So if your doctor says she doesn't do Complete Physicals or Annual Exams, but a short Periodic Health Visit, then you will now know why.