Misdirecting marks like a carnival caller, the Department of Community Services announced new regulations this month that will revoke the right for income assistance recipients to appeal for essential health items under special needs funding—providing examples such as hot tubs, medical marijuana, swimming lessons, and gym memberships as items that will no longer be covered.
It was heralded as if the government had finally turned on the lights and scatted the Bacchanalian pool party, cajoling public congratulations for tightening purse strings.
Contrary to Community Services minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse’s statements saying that the policy was simply tweaked to close up a loophole, Dalhousie Legal Aid’s Claire McNeil says that DCS skirted public consultation and changed the law, scrapping access to critical health services for those most in need.
“It wasn’t a loophole, it was a law. Rather than the government implementing the law, they changed it.”
The department says that absolutely nothing has been taken away and repeatedly insists there are no cuts, however—hidden under all the hot tubs—the decision means that massage therapy, most non-emergency dental care and some prescription drugs will no longer be covered under the special needs program. The coverage is now strictly for drugs and medical services available under MSI and Pharmacare.
“If it were covered under the Pharmacare or MSI programs you wouldn’t need the program in the first place. It was a program of last resort,” says McNeil.
The department says before the amendment, 20-25 requests a year that fell outside MSI and Pharmacare were won by appeals, at a cost of $44,000 out of a total special needs budget of $45 million.
Cases such as those will no longer be accepted as they try to keep funds focused on legitimate needs for people’s health, says community services spokesperson Susan Tate.
Rafuse wrote op-ed in the *Chronicle Herald* to clarify their position echoing that the change was ensure equity and fairness to everyone.
However, McNeil says disability rights are not about providing equality—rather it’s accommodation that’s key. “Treating everyone identically is not equality; in the case of people with disabilities exceptions need to be made. To have a cookie cutter approach is probably harmful and certainly discriminatory.”
“It’s like saying ‘now the law is now *neither* the rich or the poor can sleep under the bridge.’”
This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2011.
I couldn’t imagine needing dental work, like serious cosmetic work, and not having insurance to pay for it. Really. May not seem like much of a big deal to some, but I’m guessing those people’s mouths aren’t fucked up, and if they were, they could afford to pay for it.
Plus dental health is such a determinant to overall health, to the point that those with poor oral hygiene increase their risk of a heart attack more than a smoker does.
But yeah we should cut all that, the poor should be ugly too so we can cement their lack of opportunities for good. Yikes.
Dalhousie and NS Legal Aid discriminate against the Poor as much as govt does.the worse of the evils
This fight would have more credit if Dalhousie Legal Aid was not a perpetrator of the Poor as well. The fact the DLA has the audacity to point fingers at the Minister for DCS for being insensitive ( unconstitutional, etc) is akin to one Catholic priest claiming another molested more children..
DAL created serious medical issues for me and my family while living in Mulgrave Park 2001 -2004 and every day since then is a direct repercussion of that corruption including my current tenancy situation and overpayment that were created because of the the nefarious actions of certain parties still working there which I am hoping to have the Auditor General investigate. What happened to me because of Dalhousie Legal Aid starting in 2001 to present is nothing short of depravity and more will be posted at RESPONSE: A THOUSAND VOICES blog…
Until self proclaimed advocates can sit at the table with clean hands…they best go sit someplace else. Recently they were asked to assist with my housing situation since they made the mess and they fabricated reasons not to take it, it incriminates their ED who set into motion immeasurable harm, injury and suffering, as a person with disabilities they have caused me immeasurable agony.
They cherry -pick the Poor most deserving of their time and efforts
and they discriminate along marginalized lines- they are shamefully unprofessional, immature,toxic and lack accountability for the damages they do to others.
They have more in common with the Dept of Community Services than they would like the tax payers to know.