When the OHIP claim for a newborn dying at a Toronto-area hospital was rejected, Dr. Jane Healey faced a difficult choice: forgo her pay or ask the grieving parents to go stand in line at Service Ontario.

The baby died of a genetic condition after 10 days, Healey said. In the end, she decided against bothering the family.

“That means that we aren't remunerated for some of that very difficult, highly emotional work that stays with you,” she told CBC Toronto.

And, Healey says she isn’t alone.

OHIP billing issues have become a sticking point for physicians as they work to finalize a new compensation deal with the province. Last month, an arbitrator directed the two sides to come up with solutions quickly.

Over 99 per cent of claims are paid automatically as submitted, “reflecting the system's productivity,” said Health Minister Sylvia Jones's spokesperson, Ema Popovic.

That’s true, the Ontario Medical Association acknowledges. But there are over 200 million claims that get processed every year — meaning about 1.16 million claims are rejected annually.