Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was called by a senior here over the weekend and they were telling me that medical travel now tells them if they want to go out, doctor approved obviously, medical travel tells them to book their own flight and pay for it in advance and submit claims.
When has the policy on medical travel now changed as such that we’re now telling the patients who have been approved through medical travel through their doctor, been signed off by the main head doctor and certainly by Inuvik, and now we’re telling them that’s the process, that they have to front the cost of medical travel and then seek reimbursement? When did this policy change and is this realistic? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d certainly like to get some more details from the Member on a particular case. Medical travel hasn’t changed. It is under review, as I’ve mentioned many times in this House, and we will be discussing any potential changes. None have been made yet with Members as we move forward. But I would certainly be interested to get more detail on this particular case. If the Member would like to share those with me, I’d certainly be willing to hear them. Thank you.
Thank you. So, the advice being given to my constituent, who happens to be a senior, who happens to only be able to pay for this airplane ticket to go on their medically approved trip through the medical travel process, they’re to use their own credit card to front the government on a cost on this, is that the policy as it stands? Let’s get that clear first on the record, and if that’s not the correct advice, maybe the Minister can highlight the right process for those folks listening. Thank you.
Residents who are required to go south for treatment and/or assessment at the direction of a physician or another health care provider in the Northwest Territories are eligible for medical travel. They would go through the medical travel office, who would arrange the travel, once it’s been approved accordingly. We aren’t requiring individuals to pay for their approved treatments up front, so I’m confused by this one. It shouldn’t be happening, and as I said, I would certainly be happy to hear the details and make sure that we correct it. Thank you.
Thank you. Clearly, the Minister understands what I’m talking about, approved medical travel, and I’m just trying to understand how this could be the case.
Is there any circumstance that the Minister can think of where someone in the medical travel office tells the particular person, constituent of mine, or anyone for that matter, that they need to front the costs first and then seek reimbursement? I’ll tell you, they were quite concerned because they don’t have the means to front the costs. They can scratch them together, but it does put them in a troubling position. So, is there any circumstance that this would be the right approach? I’m just trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
Thank you. It wouldn’t be part of the normal process. The normal process would be for a physician or health care provider to request a treatment and/or an assessment that can be done in a southern facility; it would be forwarded to medical travel. If it’s approved as official services, it would be organized and booked by our staff who do the work.
