Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In general terms, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain the health and social services policy, if one exists, of helping an NWT resident return home if they happen to be hospitalized while they are travelling in another province or territory? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Deh Cho. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no policy for helping residents return home in the case where a resident has been travelling in another province, anywhere in Canada, anywhere in the world. Like, if the patient -- or if the person has left the territory on their own, there is no policy that covers that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, and thank you to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, if an NWT resident is hospitalized while they're travelling elsewhere in Canada and that individual is unable to physically get themselves home, does that mean the GNWT is simply going to abandon them and leave them stranded in another province or territory? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every resident who travels outside the territories on their own -- you know, if you were to end up in the hospital and get sick or anything, that is not the responsibility of the GNWT to bring them back. There is information on the NTHSSA website for travelling out -- information for travelling outside the Northwest Territories. It does speak to even travelling within Canada, that people should -- you know, if they are travelling that they should make sure that they look at what insurances that they have, if they need additional insurances when travelling. Some people have credit cards and things like that that may cover some of those expenses as well. So they should be fully aware of those things before they travel. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister confirm if what she says means that all NWT residents must always have their own private health insurance when they travel anywhere within Canada if they expect to receive any assistance in returning home if they're hospitalized while travelling? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, anybody who's leaving the Northwest Territories has health care coverage. Like, we have agreements across Canada that if you have your health care card and you can prove that you have health care insurance in your home province, you can have access to health services, insured health services anywhere in Canada. But you also have to be aware that some of the things that we cover in the Northwest Territories are not covered outside of -- in some provinces so those things, you may be billed for. And medical travel is not something that -- you know, that's not included in that. That's why it's important that if you're leaving the territory on your own and you're not being sent out by medical travel, then you should look at what kind of protections you have when you're leaving. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't think many NWT residents are aware of this therefore would the Minister consider creating a new policy that would provide a one-time only offer to residents where, if an individual gets hospitalized while they're travelling, the GNWT will cover the cost in returning them home? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is something that I cannot commit to in the House here, to creating a policy. As I mentioned yesterday, we spoke on many different areas. Within the medical travel policy, there are areas where there are gaps but medical travel -- like, according to our policy it is to help patients travel to an insured service. And that doesn't -- you know, and so if somebody is away then that's not part of medical travel. And the information -- and I will share that information with all Members of this House and that you can share them on your own social media, and with your constituency assistant, there is a very nice little information on the website, and I'll share it to the Ministers and all the Members of this House to be able to share that information. Because since becoming the Minister, this has happened a few times, and it has come across my desk, and unfortunately, there's -- you know, we can't pay for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
