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Many clients Dr. Allison Henderson treats at the Refugee Health Clinic in London, Ont., have fled war, persecution and violence, arriving with little money and no place to call home.<\/p>\n
Nearly 100 new refugees come through the clinic\u2019s doors each month seeking care for a variety of complex health issues, said Henderson, the clinic\u2019s medical lead. <\/p>\n
Now, the federal government is requiring refugee claimants to pay out of pocket for some medical services that were previously fully covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).<\/p>\n
Henderson says the decision will push patients into more precarious health situations and further strain an already overwhelmed emergency system.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what worries me about the rhetoric I\u2019m hearing from the government is sort of, \u2018Well, we need to equalize things,\u2019 like, \u2018Everyone should have to pay a bit.\u2019 And it feels like it\u2019s a race to the bottom,\u201d said Henderson.<\/p>\n
The IFHP provides health care to refugees before they are eligible to receive provincial health insurance. London\u2019s clinic, part of London InterCommunity Health Care, offers primary care to patients in their first year in Canada, after which they must seek a long-term care provider in the city.<\/p>\n
What is the new co-pay model?<\/p>\n
Starting May 1, Ottawa introduced a co-pay model under the IFHP. This means refugee claimants now have to pay $4 for prescriptions and 30 per cent for \u201csupplemental\u201d health services such as mental health counselling, emergency dental, or basic vision care, as well as medical devices such as hearing aids, wheelchairs or prosthetic legs.<\/p>\n
Basic essential and emergency services are still fully covered under the program, including vaccinations, lab tests, and ambulance services.<\/p>\n
Although the federal government refers to the change as \u201cco-payments,\u201d Henderson says many refugees do not have money to pay for their health care.<\/p>\n
She points to one patient with cerebral palsy who has difficulty swallowing and cannot afford outpatient therapy after just arriving in Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will mean that we are at a higher risk of choking, of having an aspiration, of having pneumonia, of ending up in hospital,” she said.<\/p>\n
Government says changes will save money<\/p>\n
There is a growing backlog of people seeking asylum in Canada.<\/p>\n