Debates of January 21, 2004 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Michael Miltenberger. Mr. Speaker, I hope that in my Member’s statement I didn’t confuse Members as to how our health benefit program is working in the Northwest Territories. When I started looking into it, it was certainly confusing to me. Maybe the Minister has an example like the water glass to make it simple for everybody here.

As I alluded to in my Member’s statement, I don’t believe that our government is doing everything it can to provide adequate health care coverage for aboriginal seniors who are covered under the non-insured health care benefits program of the federal government. Can the Minister please indicate if he is aware of the disparity that exists for aboriginal persons as far as their coverage under the NIHB program versus coverage offered to Metis and non-aboriginal seniors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that the system of supplementary health benefits that we have has been with us for some time and it is patchwork of programs such as the non-insured health benefits which, in itself, is another program we administer for the federal government that we have significant problems with, along with our colleagues in Nunavut. Through the review of supplementary health benefits and with the meetings with federal health Ministers, and most recently Minister Pettigrew, we once again raised the issue of the need to sit down and look at non-insured health benefits. There were meetings last week in Ottawa with officials meeting once again on health benefits and health concerns. Yes, I recognize the issues in that area and others, and that’s one reason we are doing the review and we want to continue. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Metis program of health benefits was instituted in 1997 to offer Metis people similar benefits to status persons, but it wasn’t 100 per cent coverage. Since April of 2002, Metis persons have since been provided 100 per cent coverage under this program and it’s administered through our government. Will the Minister please state in this House if there are any negotiations -- and he just mentioned the federal government -- underway to enable our government to provide the same level of health care coverage to status persons that is currently provided to Metis people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sorry, I apologize, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Metis health benefits are the benefits provided under non-insured health benefits. The one big benefit that we do have in the Northwest Territories is we don’t have the cumbersome federal bureaucracy and rules and payment process that is in place with non-insured health benefits. So we have ours administered through Blue Cross. We have an arrangement with them for the administration and processing. The Metis benefits mirror the non-insured health benefits.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s very confusing. I can see why it’s so confusing for seniors when they are trying to see where their benefits come from. Is there any move on the government’s part to bring in a program where all seniors or all people are treated equally under the health care plan? Right now, there are about four different ones that seniors especially are trying to find out where they fit into. Is there any move to try to bring everybody under the same umbrella? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I referenced earlier, the supplementary health benefits review that’s underway, its sole intention is to try to rationalize and consolidate those services that we now provide where there are consistencies that developed in an uncoordinated and a patchwork manner. So this is to level the playing field. We must keep in mind that on the non-insured health benefits side, that is a federal program. It is tied to aboriginal First Nations people, Inuit people. It’s a program that is very sensitive when it comes to making changes. We are working with the federal government and we will work with the aboriginal governments to look at what we can do to improve the non-insured health benefits. On the territorial programs, we definitely want to move towards a more rationalized, consolidated system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to put a little bit more perspective on this subject, if I understand this correctly, a non-aboriginal senior, for example, can move into the Northwest Territories after not having lived there ever before in their life, and after three months of residency, they qualify for full health care benefits under the GNWT seniors program. That seniors program covers everything from prescriptions to mobility aids right down to multivitamins and band aids. Conversely, an aboriginal senior who may have lived here all their life is not entitled to apply for GNWT seniors health care benefits. Their only option is to apply for NIHB, which does not cover near as much.

If that is correct, Mr. Speaker, does the Minister not think that it’s time that we have a look at this and do something in the very near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 16-15(2): Health Coverage For Aboriginal Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, yes, if that was correct I would agree that we want to look at that very specific issue. I recognize that there are inconsistencies in the program, but once again, my information is that when it comes to seniors, benefits are intended to mirror the services provided by the non-insured health benefits. That was the baseline that we used. But I do recognize, as the Member has pointed out in his questions, that we do have problems in the system that is currently there and we intend to look into that and ways that we can rectify it for all northerners.