'Mistakes happen': Health minister says patients have recourse if charged inappropriately
The provincial government is advising there is recourse for those who believe they've been wrongfully billed for healthcare services.
Speaking in Muncey on Thursday, Ontario Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones addressed the issue for those patients who think they have been unlawfully billed for OHIP-covered services at a private health clinic.
“We do the investigation within the Ministry of Health,” explained Jones. “Ultimately, if the patient is right and there was an inappropriate charge, they will receive that charge back.”
The response came in the wake of claims the provincial government opened the door for private clinics to profit from extra fees when it expanded certain procedures to the for-profit health sector last year.
“Mistakes happen,” said Jones. “People have a right to follow-up and make sure that they weren’t inappropriately charged. I will say we have the statistics to show it is a very, very small percentage of people who were inappropriately charged."
The minister made the comments at the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) in Muncey, where she also re-announced funding to expand primary health care teams throughout the region.
The government says it’s investing nearly $6.4 million to connect more than 23,000 people to primary care health teams in the London area, Lambton, and Chatham-Kent.
According to a Ministry of Health news release, the initiatives includes:
- New mobile services for an Indigenous Primary Health Care Organization that will support First Nations, Inuit and Metis community members in Middlesex County.
- A new mobile bus to connect Indigenous people in rural and urban areas of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex with Indigenous led, culturally relevant primary care services in person and virtually.
- A new Family Health Team for London and the surrounding area, that will expand services through additional Community Hub locations throughout the area. By meeting people where they are, and reducing other barriers, this program will help connect people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness with primary care providers that are trauma and violence informed.
- An expanded Family Health Team in Elgin County that will partner with another Family Health Team and Community Health Centre to increase the number of people who can connect to team-based primary care services.
- A new rural site along with expanded capacity at an urban clinic in Lambton County, focused on connecting isolated seniors, socioeconomically disadvantaged and vulnerable people, newcomers, and refugees to primary care.
- New mobile primary care services in Chatham-Kent, including clinics for respiratory and diabetes management, cancer screening and traditional healers to help provide culturally appropriate care.
- Primary care service expansion in Tillsonburg to connect vulnerable and medically complex community members to comprehensive, convenient and connected primary care closer to home.
“Within our traditional healing program, our focus extends beyond just treatment,” said Marissa Kennedy, the traditional healing manager of SOAHAC. “It encompasses a comprehensive understanding of healing as a spiritual journey."
Christi-Ann Poulette, the integrated care manager at SOAHAC, stressed the need for primary care is great.
"SOAHAC’s ability to enhance our holistic, culturally aware, safe care is vital for the well-being of the individuals we support,” said Poulette.
Jones also spent time Thursday campaigning with Steve Pinsonneault, the PC candidate for the upcoming by-election in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.