Thank you. Minister.
Mr. Chair, they don't. Really, the only link between the supp-health benefits, extended health benefits, indigent health benefits, Metis health benefits, and NIHB, is that we mirror the program. Our programs mirror NIHB. NIHB, we administer on behalf of the federal government. It is a federal government program. We administer it on their behalf for our First Nations residents. Extended health benefits, indigent health benefits, Metis health benefits mirror that, but it is a program that we fund as the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am not sure I understood all of that. Maybe I will just switch tactics for a moment, and then I might come back to that. Metis health benefits line here, there was a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that Metis people are now to be considered Indigenous people under the Constitution and entitled to the same rights as other Indigenous peoples. Has there been any progress on discussion of Metis health benefits funding from the federal government? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. No. Every opportunity I have or every time I meet with the federal Ministers, I mention it. I indicate our desire to have them come to the table and cover the Metis health benefits. There has been no official response to date. I will continue to raise it every opportunity I get when I am in Ottawa or when I am meeting with federal Ministers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I support full coverage for our Metis residents, but does this come up in other jurisdictions? Does it come up at FPT, federal-provincial-territorial meetings of the health ministers? It is not being discussed or addressed in any way? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have had the conversation with my FPT colleagues, as well. They obviously would like to see it happen as a result of the Daniels case. We are in a slightly different position, given that we are already expending money in this area and they are not. We are the only jurisdiction in the country that provides NIHB-equivalent services to Metis people. I just remind the Member the case wasn't just about healthcare. It was about Metis services and all that. We are just a part of that. We raise it all the time, and so do the other PT ministers. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the response from the Minister. Is there any likelihood that we are going to be able to recover any of this funding that has been expended over the years from the federal government, or is it too early to say? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would love to say yes, but honestly, we have had no indication at this point. I will continue to bring it up. If the opportunity presents itself, I would be happy to explore or discuss back pay on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I have no further questions on this section. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have something I would like to clear up. Following up with Mr. O'Reilly's line of questioning, non-insured health benefits and the Metis health benefits, it is my understanding that, while they are almost identical, there are differences between the two when it comes to what is covered, things like certain dental procedures. Am I correct in this assumption? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, our supplementary health benefit programs are intended to mirror the benefits provided by NIHB exactly. That is the extended healthcare benefits, the indigent health benefits, and the Metis health benefits. For us, in these areas, Alberta Blue Cross does administer our supplementary health benefits on our behalf. We do provide to Alberta Blue Cross our NIHB fee schedule. We give that to Alberta Blue cross every time it is updated, which is about once a year. We gave the most recent updated schedule in February of 2018. Alberta Blue Cross moves and acts on that fee schedule. I am not aware of any individual drug or coverage or any discrepancies that exist. If the Member has examples of discrepancies that exist, I will look into that to figure out what is going on, but the program is intended to mirror NIHB.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is what I was trying to discern. Exactly what I said, the non-insured health benefits and the Metis health benefits compared equally if they are exactly the same because I hear anecdotally issues about, for example, things like dental work is the one that has come up. If that is the case, if there are things like that, I would assume the department would be on top of it and look into this type of stuff. I would like some confirmation from the department. Do they look for cases like this? Is it possible that a case like this exists where someone with NIHB and the Metis benefits would receive different coverage? Is that a possibility? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Never say never, right? By design, the answer is no. Our supplemental health programs mirror NIHB. We share the NIHB formularies with our provider, which is Blue Cross, so that they can ensure that they are providing services that are consistent. From time to time, is it possible that something sneaks through? I cannot say that it does not, but we are not aware of any at this particular point. So what I am asking is, if Members are aware of a case where something is provided by our supplementary health program as opposed to an another third-party insurance, please let us know and we will look into it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Anything further, Mr. Simpson?
Yes, one. I will follow up with the Minister. One final question; this might be more for the Department of Justice, but: are extended health benefits extended to people who are remanded or incarcerated in territorial corrections centres? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of things: our territorial corrections facilities have nurses on staff who provide some level of services, but, if they need services that are not available by the corrections system, we do work with those patients. The guards will often bring them out so that they can attend their appointments and whatnot. All the services that we provide to residents are the same for our inmates, unless they are federal inmates, at which point they are covered by Correctional Service of Canada. We do have federal inmates in the Northwest Territories, but, if they are NWT territorial inmates, it's the same as residents. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you. So, just to clarify what he means by "residents," before I was an MLA, I did not have health coverage, I did not have private insurance, I was not covered under any Metis benefits or NIHB. So if I was incarcerated or remanded, would I be covered by extended benefits or would I just get the same non-coverage that I had as an un-incarcerated citizen? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as a Canadian citizen, you are entitled to health services for all acute and primary care services. The difference is obviously drugs or dental. We do not have pharmacare or universal dental coverage in Canada, so that is what NIHB provides now, and we match it for extended health benefits. If you are not a resident of the Northwest Territories, you are not carrying a healthcare card, and you have not registered as a Metis, you would not obviously get that, but you could register and make sure that you filled out the appropriate paperwork. If you fill out the appropriate paperwork and you are eligible, then the answer is yes. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Simpson.
Thank you. So, just to clear this up, just a yes or no answer: if you are incarcerated, you have the same benefit that you had before you were incarcerated, is that correct? Nothing more than that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy, yes or no?
[Microphone turned off] eligible for supplemental health benefits, the answer is yes, it does not change whether you are in jail or not. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Simpson.
If you were not eligible for supplementary benefits before you were incarcerated, would you be then provided with supplementary benefits during your incarceration? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.
There is no such thing as a yes or no answer. This is not: is the orange orange? Yes it is. Or is a red apple red? Yes it is. If you were eligible before, you are still eligible. If you were not eligible before, you are not eligible. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Simpson.
Nothing further. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a question on indigent health benefits. I am trying to figure out why the number is so low, but I kind of have an idea. I was wondering if the Minister could tell me if there is an income limit on the benefits accrued to this group. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is one that we work closely with Education, Culture and Employment on because this is for individuals who are on income support. This is more of a one-time hardship program, so it's not something that is used for everybody. It's more when situations are unique or beyond normal and we need to work with them to make sure that our residents do not go into a new hardship. Drugs are part of income support, so people who are on income support are covered that way, as well, or, if they are Indigenous, they are covered through NIHB, so this is a small group of people who are impacted here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, so this is a group of low-income, non-Aboriginal families or individuals who have no extended health benefit but they are under 60, they are not Metis, they are not treaty. I guess that is correct? I just ask for confirmation on that from the Minister. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not exactly; this is for any resident who is not working, who is receiving income support, who might be faced with a condition or a drug cost that would cause undue hardship, so we are trying to be available for those individuals who could be in a very, very difficult place if they are not covered. So it's not just non-Indigenous people. It could be Indigenous people, as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
