Ontario’s Auditor-General says the province isn’t auditing doctors whose billings raise obvious red flags, including 82 doctors who claimed to have worked 24 hours or more in a single day, a diagnostic radiologist who billed for an average of 461 patients daily and an ophthalmologist who billed $6.7-million in one year, more than twice as much as the next highest biller in the specialty.

The same unnamed ophthalmologist has been investigated three times for allegedly charging patients out-of-pocket fees for services that should be free through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

The first review found the doctor wrongly charged patients, a second cleared the ophthalmologist, and a third is ongoing.

In an annual report released Tuesday, Ontario Auditor-General Shelley Spence said potential waste in the billing system could be money used to “hire more family physicians.”

Ontario isn’t auditing doctors for excessive claims, Auditor-General finds

Report says 82 physicians billed for 24 hours or more in a single day

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)