REGINA – The province’s policy of not paying for travel expenses for out of province medical treatment has come under the microscope once again.
The NDP have once again raised the issue at a news conference in Saskatoon. They pointed to the situation faced by Tammy O’Brien, a Saskatchewan resident who needed Gamma Knife radiosurgery in Edmonton to deal with a rare brain tumor. That surgical method is not available in Saskatchewan.
The NDP says that when O’Brien contacted Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s office seeking financial support for travel and accommodation costs, O’Brien was told the province only covers the cost of the medical procedure. According to the NDP the ministry instead provided a list of charities she could reach out to and also suggested she try crowdsourcing to cover her expenses.
O’Brien said she was stunned by that response and the NDP have now called for the province to apologize.
“I was shocked by the suggestion and felt dismissed and degraded,” said O’Brien in a news release.
“I’m a healthcare worker, but I’m on disability and unable to work. I’m already stretched beyond my limits. I needed this treatment to save my life and had no choice but to leave the province to receive it.”
“This is where we’re at after 18 years of the Sask. Party. People with brain tumors are being told to start Go-Fund-Me campaigns,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Associate Shadow Minister for Health, in a statement.
“This government has driven our healthcare system to dead last in Canada, forcing more and more people to travel out of province for care that used to be available here.”
This is not the first time the NDP has voiced concerns about travel costs for out of province care. They also raised the issue back in March over patients travelling to Calgary for mammograms. They did note in their latest news release that the province does reimburse for up to $1500 in travel costs for mammograms and $2000 for pediatrics.
In a statement from the Ministry of Health, it was noted that the cost of O'Brien's treatment had been covered by the province, and that Saskatchewan Health provides coverage for publicly funded essential medical services such as hospital and physician visits even if they are received in another province.
But the Ministry of Health stated they do not provide coverage or reimbursement for travel, accommodations and meal expenses incurred while receiving medical treatment outside of the province or country.
According to the province, in certain circumstances the Canada Revenue Agency may allow travel, accommodation, and meal expenses to be claimed as tax deductions under the Income Tax Act. The province also said there are a “number of community organizations throughout Saskatchewan that may offer assistance to individuals and families in similar situations who may require travel for care, such as Hope Air and the Kinsmen Foundation.”
