The Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004, received Royal Assent and became law on June 17, 2004. The Act improves publicly-funded health care in the province by : ensuring that Ontarians get the health care they need, through the establishment of accountability agreements between the ministry and health care providers; strengthening the prohibition of "two-tier" medicine by closing legislative loopholes that allow queue-jumping and extra billing; and establishing an independent Ontario Health Quality Council to report on our health care system in areas including wait times, so we can determine where improvements are needed and where progress is being made. See below for contact information Resources Ontario Regulation 14/05 under Part I of the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004 Ontario Regulation 288/04 under Part II of the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004 Ontario Regulation 289/04 under the Health Insurance Act, as enacted News Release : September 23, 2004 McGuinty Government Strengthens Prohibition of Two-Tier Medicine Compendium to the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004 Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004 News Release : June 18, 2004 McGuinty Government Delivers on Strengthening Medicare June 7, 2004 Third Reading (Hansard) March 23, 2004 Minister's Statement to the Legislature - Second Reading (Hansard) February 16, 2004 Minister's Statement to the Standing Committee on Justice and Social Policy (Hansard) News Release : February 16, 2004 McGuinty government committed to the Future of Medicare Act November 27, 2003 Minister's Statement to Legislature - First Reading (Hansard) News Release : November 27, 2003 McGuinty government moves to outlaw two-tier health care in Ontario