Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's been recently brought to my attention by a few residents or constituents of Yellowknife North and, frankly, others, that there are concerns with regard to eye care, in particular, insured coverage. The challenges are that progressive lens and tri-focal lenses appear to not be covered within the Blue Cross coverage that these folks pay for. I'm wondering if the Minister of Health and Social Services can, in fact, clarify whether those types of lenses are covered or not. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, this has actually come up a number of times, and I understand the frustration that residents of the Northwest Territories, in particular seniors, who are accessing our extended benefits have with respect to these lenses. Progressive lens and tri-focal lens are a common lens; it's a lens that many people use. In fact, it's preferred by most individuals. Unfortunately, in order to not have a two-tiered health system here in the Northwest Territories with respect to what we're providing by way of coverage, our extended health benefits match exactly what is offered through NIHB; and to date, NIHB does not provide coverage for progressive lenses or other lenses like the tri-focals. As a result, we provide the same level of coverage that they did.
It has come up. I agree that it is frustrating. I've made a commitment during our negotiations with the federal government on NIHB; we intend to raise this as an issue and we hope that they would modify their formulary to include things like progressive lenses so that we can ensure that our residents, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, young, old, seniors, are getting the lenses they need.
I guess the question is: can the basic coverage be applied to the tri-focal and the progressive? Is there the opportunity to negotiate that portion of our agreement sooner rather than later to at least have the basic coverage applied to those types of lenses?
I wish, but, unfortunately, no. But to the Member's point, the negotiations have actually started already. We're in early stages of discussions, figuring out how the negotiation is going to move forward. I've made a commitment to our Aboriginal partners and governments that during these negotiations we want to make sure that our Aboriginal partners are engaged. The Aboriginal people are telling us the same thing around progressive lenses; that the seniors who are accessing our extended health benefits are saying. I can't say that we will win that fight, but it's a fight that we're undertaking now.
Thank you to the Minister for his reply. It's good to hear that we're in negotiations in this regard. Can the Minister give us a potential timeline as to when he expects the negotiations to conclude, and that we can give Northerners what they deserve as it relates to their eye care coverage?
We deliver NIHB on behalf of the federal government. It is a federal government program, and the timing of the negotiations really depends on the speed that they wish to move forward. We're already engaged. I, unfortunately, can't tell you when these negotiations conclude. The end date is somewhat mobile or somewhat flexible, based on the intensity of some of the negotiations.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
