Your Health Update

Given that clinical trials have been done elsewhere, it is hard to understand why Ontario needed to do more investigation. And compared to the access in other provinces, on a per capita basis, Ontario’s access is the worst of all the provinces and Quebec is the best.

Because of sustained complaints from CARP members and other Ontarians, Ontario Ombudsman, Andre Marin, announced in April this year that his office would be investigating Ontario’s restricted access to PET scans and specifically whether the process to evaluate the usefulness of the technology is reasonable and whether the limited access to the diagnostic tool in Ontario was fair.

It is anticipated that the Ombudsman’s report will be issued in September and CARP has made its position known to the Ombudsman’s office and will respond to the report when it is made public.

Pill Packs

CARP called on the Ministry of Health to fully fund pill packs – the weekly supply of prescription medication sorted and placed in blister packs by the pharmacists and submitted it recommendation in May 2008 when the Ministry first proposed to limit the dispensing fees to one fee per month, not one fee for each weekly pack.

At the end of July 2008, the Ministry issued its amended regulation which increased the limit to two dispensing fees per month’s supply. CARP welcomed the improvement in its news release (Click here to read the release) but repeated its recommendation that pill packs be fully funded in order to provide a much needed service.

Pill packs reduce the incidence of medication error and the potentially tragic consequences, and continued funding of the dispensing fees for such services to Ontario seniors should be a vital part of Ontario’s Aging @ Home strategy.

CARP will continue to monitor these and other health care issues and provide periodic updates on our website. In the meantime, you can voice your concerns by sending an email to your Minister of Health and/or local MPP using E-Voice at: www.carp.ca/evoice/ . We would also like to hear from you as to the experiences in your province or territory. Please contact us at: [email protected] .