Ont. optometrist explains job action, and why OHIP eye exams aren’t being offered
Wednesday marks Day 1 of job action by the Ontario Association of Optometrists.
Officials with the group said it was sparked by three decades of being underfunded.
"When we look back to 1989, the government funded $39 towards an eye exam," said Wes McCann, an optometrist from London, Ont. "Thirty-two years later in 2021 the government funds $44 on average towards an eye exam. So in 32 years, that’s changed $5 on average, so it's just not a sustainable solution."
"I mean we see more seniors every day," McCann continued. "In the last 30 years, the senior population has grown by 70 per cent. So we see more and more patients who are covered by OHIP every year and for us to see those patients at a loss every time is not sustainable."
He said on average it costs optometrists $80 just to see a patient, and his group wants to see that gap closed.
"There’s a huge deficit there that the government isn’t covering and neglecting and is making no effort whatsoever to make that cost of delivery," McCann said.
"So what we’ve been asking from the government is at a minimum at least cover that cost of delivery so that the optometrists aren’t paying out of pocket."
Health Minister Christine Elliot said her government is making every effort possible to lay the foundation for a long-term relationship with the Ontario Association of Optometrists.
"This includes engaging a third-party mediator to assist us in reaching an agreement and offering a one-time lump sum payment as well as an immediate OHIP fee increase," Elliot said in a statement. "This represents a significant and sustainable increase in today’s highly-constrained fiscal environment.
While we had hoped that these discussions would lead to a positive outcome, we are extremely disappointed in the OAO’s decision to decline to resume mediation, as well as the OAO’s encouragement of Ontario’s optometrists to withdraw services, starting today, that many vulnerable Ontarians rely on. To do so as Ontario faces the fourth wave of the pandemic is unconscionable.
Despite the OAO maintaining they are at the table, it’s unclear what table they are sitting at given they have declined the mediator’s conditions. We await a change of heart from the OAO.”
While job action is ongoing, those who are eligible for OHIP services don’t have the option to pay out of pocket to get an eye exam. McCann has said the government has made that illegal for providers to do.
Elliot said the government continues to fund these services and that any decision to withdraw services is the decision of each provider.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.