Doctors appalled at cuts to refugee health care

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Doctors, health care workers and refugee advocates demonstrated in 20 cities across Canada Monday to protest cuts to health care coverage for refugees. Cutting coverage was a government move to reduce costs, but health care workers say it will cost more in the long run to treat neglected medical problems.

Government ends fairness and compassion, says doctor

“The conservative government has swept away and ended the fairness and compassion of Canada’s previously fair and compassionate refugee health care program…that has been in place since 1957,” said Dr. Philip Berger, chief of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Before changes made last year, all refugees and refugee claimants received the same amount of supplemental health care coverage from the Canadian government. This program was meant to bridge the gap between their arrival in Canada and their ability to qualify for health coverage by provincial governments. It included coverage for dental, vision and prescription drug costs.

Now coverage depends on where claimants come from and whether their claim is pending, accepted or rejected.

If you come from a country the Canadian government deems “safe” you are only covered for situations that pose a risk to public health or are of public safety concern.  Those applying from other countries have benefits limited to services deemed essential or urgent.

If your refugee claims is refused but you come from a so-called “moratorium” country to which Canada will not deport people you get virtually no health care coverage.

This means many refugees are left without coverage for dental, vision care, or prescription drugs until they are approved for provincial health care benefits.

Refugees refused epidurals, chemo

“We’ve documented dozens of cases of individuals who’ve been denied care,” said Berger, “for example a woman in labour being refused an epidural,…refugee claimants with cancer have been denied coverage for chemotherapy, children with fevers who have been advised to go for follow-up in case of malaria or other infectious diseases common overseas, not showing up for appointments. There are endless examples that have been documented…”

Deterring “bogus refugee claims” was one reason the minister of immigration gave for making the cuts to health care coverage. Another was that refugees should not get better coverage than what Canadians seniors receive. This infuriates Berger.

Government on a propaganda campaign, charges doctor

“The federal government has really embarked on propaganda, taxpayer-funded, disinformation campaign filled with fabrications misleading both the public and the Parliament,” he said. “Nothing this government has ever said about refugee health care can be believed.”

Refugees never got more assistance than did Canadians on social assistance or welfare, according to Berger. He added that if the minister wants to stop “bogus refugee claims” he should do it through immigration legal policy and not by using doctors to deny health care coverage to people based on their country of birth or their refugee category. “That’s another example of where the minister has failed to do his job,” said Berger.

Eight national health associations representing doctors and nurses have written to the minister three times requesting a meeting to discuss their concerns about the cuts to refugee health care and they have been refused on the grounds the minister cannot fit it into his schedule.

“We’re requesting the minister finally meet with health care providers who actually have to face down these refugee claimants and are forced to tell them we can’t treat them,” said Berger.

Policy will make Canadians sick, says doctor

Cuts will cost Canada more in the long run as many refugee claimants become citizens, he believes. “There’ll be illnesses they’ll have that could have been prevented had they had adequate coverage and some of them will suffer long-term consequences moving them into chronic disease after getting an acute illness that could have been prevented. So these will be Canadian citizens who have been made sick by the policies of this government.”