Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are addressed to the Minister for Health and Social Services today. I mentioned in my statement that a discussion paper was released relative to the supplementary health benefits changes a little while ago. In speaking to the Minister in committee and in the House, the Minister has maintained from the outset that this discussion paper is objective, that there’s no predetermined outcome. But I guess I have to disagree, and I think other Members do as well. The other day, in reference to the public and the public’s response to the information in the paper that’s now available and people are starting to read, the Minister stated they know where we’re headed. I’d like to ask the Minister if she could explain that comment, please.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Listening to the Member’s statement quite closely, it appears that she knows exactly where this policy is headed, what the intent is, what we are trying to achieve, what unfairness and inequities that we are trying to ameliorate, because in fact she just said about 10 minutes ago that she agrees with the intent and the overall approach of this but that she would like it delayed until November. Putting aside the process, if she likes this policy, what is it that she would like to achieve by delaying the process, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t think there was any reference to my question in there, but I will just kind of carry on.
To the Minister’s comment that I know where things are going, I know where the department wants us to think we are going. I know where the paper wants us to think we are going. I would like to say to the Minister we got some financial information the other day, some income threshold information, and I’d like to thank the Minister for that information that we got the other morning, but it presented almost more questions than it answered.
I would like to know from the Minister, because we didn’t get that information when we asked for it, but I particularly need to know, to consider these changes, how many of our NWT residents do not currently have access to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the information that we presented to the standing committee Tuesday morning has now been posted on the website and there is very detailed information about what number of residents in the Territories currently have no access to extended health benefits whether through the government program or third-party insurance. The proposal we are making is that depending on where the income threshold is, whether it is $30,000 or $50,000, and remembering again that that is the starting threshold so that if the income threshold was at $50,000, any family making a net income between $50,000 to $170,000, depending on the family size, would get covered 100 percent.
This is the most robust Supplementary Health Program available anywhere in the country. Substance is good. I would like us to have a debate about the substance. If the Member has a better idea about how to improve and make our program more fair, let’s hear about it. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I have to confess I was having a bit of a sidebar. I don’t think I heard a number as to how many residents are not currently covered. I guess I would like to ask the Minister... To go to her statement, yes, there are other ideas out there, but there really is no option, given the schedule that we are working under. I will try to question again. How many residents do not currently have access to supplementary health benefits? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the existing Extended Health Benefits Program is such that we know who is accessing the program and those who are accessing the program are those who are over 60 or who have a chronic condition or who right now make less than $30,000 which qualifies them as indigent. The information we have on the website says that there are a total number of 3,160 people who do not have extended health benefits coverage or a third-party insurance. That is the number we are trying to work with. Under our proposal, we could cover over 2,000 people out of this 3,000 people. Not only that, unlike the previous proposal, those who are covered 100 percent will still be covered. It is just that we are asking those who could afford to pay, to make a contribution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for that. I already knew that number. She is referencing the number of people who are currently accessing the system. There are others who are not. I think it is incumbent upon the government to estimate those people who are not currently covered, who are not currently accessing the system so that we can then know what kind of costs we are incurring.
I would like to know from the Minister... We are going to have consultation. We are going to consider input, presumably. We are going to make a decision and draft a new program. I would like to ask the Minister how are those proposed changes going to be communicated to Members and when, to Members and to residents. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we have had very open and healthy dialogue and information sessions with the standing committee. The public hearing just started this Monday. The second one was in Hay River and they will go into all of the regional centres. We have been communicating through the website. Our people are responding. The interchange is quite productive. Our people wanted to know what we are considering for a threshold, because people want to have something solid to see how they are impacted. We have posted them on-line and the Members have details of that.
Mr. Speaker, I know the Member would like to have more information than not, but perhaps she could consider 2,000 people who are going to benefit. Those are the people who do not have benefits right now who will benefit. I need to really wonder. I have to ask her does benefiting 2,000 people who are not benefiting now mean anything to us as a policymaker? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
