|
March 2, 2011
Board of Health calls on provincial government to remove OHIP waiting
period for landed immigrants
The Board of Health has called on the Province of Ontario to change the
Health Insurance Act so that landed immigrants can get health coverage
as soon as they arrive in Ontario. This would enable timely diagnosis
and treatment of communicable diseases, which pose a risk to the health
of individuals and communities.
Toronto Public Health had made an earlier submission as part of the
Province of Ontario's 2011 pre-budget consultations urging the abolition
of the current OHIP three-month waiting period for newly arrived landed
immigrants. This submission focused strongly on communicable diseases of
public health importance such as tuberculosis (TB). Toronto sees
approximately 300 cases of TB a year, many of them in individuals who
come from countries where the illness is widespread.
"Newcomers to Ontario who have already spent time and money securing
landed immigrant status should not have to wait three months for OHIP -
especially when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of communicable
diseases,” said Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health for
Toronto. “Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. We know that
newcomers without coverage are hesitant to see a doctor, which puts
their health and the health of others at risk.”
British Columbia and Ontario are the only two provinces that have a
comprehensive waiting period for newly arrived landed immigrants. Quebec
recently introduced a waiting period, but has a number of exemptions,
including the diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases. New
Brunswick recently eliminated its waiting period for new immigrants.
“This is the second time we have asked the provincial government to
eliminate the wait time for landed immigrants,” said Chair of the Board
of Health, Councillor John Filion (Ward 23 Willowdale). “The government
recognizes the benefits that newcomers bring to this province, and has
said recently that they are fighting to help newcomers integrate into
Ontario more quickly. Making them wait for basic health care is unfair,
unhealthy, and costly.”
source: toronto.ca |
