Ontario Job Action
- Insight uOttawa
- Oct 7, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 9, 2021
Danika Zielinski
OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) covers one eye exam per year for those aged 0-19 and 65+, those aged 20-64 with specific medical conditions, such as diabetes, people between the ages of 20-64 who are on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). They also cover cataract surgery post ops, and vision threatening emergencies such as retinal detachments. For those who are not covered under OHIP for eye exams, patients pay out of pocket, usually around $150.00, and are reimbursed through their insurance if they have it. Unfortunately, as the lowest eye care funded province in Canada, the amount that the Ontario government pays back to optometrists for each comprehensive eye exam comes to only $44.65. This is only a $5.50 increase from 1989. With diagnostic technologies constantly upgrading, this reimbursement does not even come close to what it takes to provide the eye exam, it does not cover staff, rent, utilities, or even investing in improved diagnostic equipment.
If you have been paying attention to Ontario news this year, you may have seen different headlines such as, “Eye care in Ontario is at risk.,” “Your eyecare is worth saving.,” or “The time to save eyecare is now.” On September 1st, 2021, Ontario optometrists officially acted after 30 years of negotiating, and any service or eye exam that is normally covered by OHIP will be turned away across Ontario.
The longer the government waits to properly fund eye care, the longer many Ontarians will suffer. This means children who are struggling to see in class cannot get a prescription for glasses. This means that seniors who suffer from gradual vision loss due to macular degeneration or glaucoma cannot have it monitored. This means people who have a sudden onset of flashes, floaters, and decreasing vision due to a retinal detachment cannot get quickly diagnosed by an optometrist, as it may not be common knowledge to know that it is an emergency and to go to the hospital. This also means that diabetic patients cannot be seen for an annual eye examination to monitor any signs of diabetic retinopathy, and people who cannot work due to a disability cannot be seen for any vision concerns.
So, you may be wondering, “If people who are normally covered under OHIP have vision benefits, can’t they pay the same fee as non OHIP patients?” No, because this issue does not affect what OHIP covers. Patients are still eligible for their OHIP eye exams. However, if an optometrist is caught accepting any kind of payment when a patient is eligible under OHIP, they can be fined up to $20,000.00 and even lose their license to practice.
The time to act is now. Ontario optometrists care about all their patients’ vision needs and are encouraging everyone to help spread the word. You can visit www.saveeyecare.ca to sign a petition for your MPP.
References
Save Eye Care. (2021). Retrieved October 5th, 2021, from https://www.saveeyecare.ca/.
Comments