More than 12,000 people have signed a petition calling for the cancellation of the new fee structure in Ontario, which significantly reduces the amount doctors receive for providing virtual care - leading some providers to close their services.

The new fee structure, agreed upon by the province and the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), came into effect on Thursday, where most doctors can bill the government about $80 per video visit with a patient under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

During the pandemic, the province allowed doctors to be paid the same amount for virtual sessions in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

But as of today, December 1, that will change as the fee will drop to $20 for virtual assessments and $15 for phone consultations.

Dr. William Cherniak, founder of Rocket Doctor, a company that connects doctors with patients on a digital platform, said, "The problem is that 1.8 million people in Ontario do not have a family doctor. Doctors who spend time on the platform, you know, are very upset and do not feel that the service they provide to patients is limited... and this is what they call the new fee codes: 'limited care.'"

Also, the OMA said in a statement on Thursday: "There was no publicly funded virtual care in Ontario before the pandemic, except for limited services through the Ontario Telemedicine Network. But the OMA believes that the best care lies within the relationship between the patient and the doctor, where virtual care is fully funded by OHIP under this new agreement when there is this ongoing relationship."

Similarly, Cherniak told CTV News Toronto that although the services he actually provides differ from what is done in the emergency department, they are still very valuable. He added that he helped fill prescriptions, assist patients in managing mental health issues, and diagnose health problems such as asthma or upper respiratory infections. He continued, saying that virtual care is especially valuable for those who cannot drive to a doctor’s clinic or who live in rural areas.

With the new fee system applied, Cherniak said they will no longer be able to provide primary or emergency care services covered by OHIP.

Rocket Doctor is not the only provider negatively affected by this change; Kixcare, a company providing 24/7 virtual access to pediatric healthcare experts, said it will close its urgent care services.

Dr. Harley Eisman from Kixcare said: "If there is a 75 percent reduction in the fees paid, it will no longer be a sustainable option for us."

Instead, the company charges families a monthly fee of $29 to access healthcare practitioners.