Debates of May 9, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement today and my questions will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, for the record, B.C. Ministry of Health notes that nerve damage from spina bifida can lead to deformities such as club foot. Mr. Speaker, with that said, when does the Minister see any type of update of our extended health benefits list to address this gap in services being provided to our children? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have begun our work around the whole extended benefits policy and that work is underway right now. We’re not picking out a specific piece, for example, a list of what is covered in that area at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, clearly, this is a problem having a club foot in the Northwest Territories. There may not be an epidemic, but it is an issue, Mr. Speaker, and, further, it’s an issue that we could solve; it’s something within our reach. So, Mr. Speaker, what is the apprehension of adding club foot to our extended health benefits? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s not just a matter of one subject or one disability over another being added to the list. There are many that don’t make the list, whether it’s in the drug side, particular procedures and, as well, we’d have to look at, as we do with a lot of our programs, income of individuals and whether they qualify for some of our programs or not. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, we’re not allowed to ask the opinion of a Minister, although that would seem relevant in this particular case. However, Mr. Speaker, we pay for the surgery of this problem and it seems completely absurd why we would ignore the treatment side. I mean, what’s the point? So, Mr. Speaker, what would it take to get club foot on the extended health benefits list? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact that in many procedures, not just in the Northwest Territories but all of Canada, we, as providers of health care service, would cover for surgical procedures, hospital bed time. In many cases when patients are released back to their communities or homes, they have to pick up their own tab on drugs and so on as a result of some of the procedures, so this is not a unique case. It would take for adding this one case to the list, we'd have to do a review to see if it's one thing or another; or, if we're going to add to this list, what's the priority. We have a growing cost already that we're having a hard time keeping in check and we add another procedure to it. That's some of the stuff we have to weigh as we look at this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, again I think the Minister underscores the oddity here; whereas we pay for the surgery but we don't pay for the treatment. I mean it becomes completely irrelevant at that point. Why do the surgery? It's confusing, Mr. Speaker. So my last question to the Minister is, what will it take this Minister to recognize and identify that this is a real issue to go on our extended health benefits? Does he require letters from mothers? Does he require a motion in this House? Does he require camping out at his doorstep? Does he require a petition? What would this Minister like to see to add this issue to our extended health benefits list? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 40-15(6): Health Benefits For Congenital Club Foot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is continuing on his view of this. The situation is, as a government, if we had more money to put into our extended health benefits policy, would this be one of the priorities, and that has to come under the equation. We'd have to look at a whole number of procedures that are not included now that people would have to pay on their own or go to other jurisdictions that we can't provide. As I stated before, there are procedures, surgeries done on patients. Once they've gone home, they have to pay and pick up the tab on a number of other things. So this is not a rare or unique situation. Unfortunately, there are situations where issues aren't dealt with through our existing system. In all of our programs, as we're reviewing, we have to look at the ability of patients to be able to pay some part of their own care. Thank you.