New regulations for OHIP + will begin on April 1st, 2019. Details of the new changes can be found here;
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/drugs/ohipplus/
If you find these changes to be unfair or unjust, feel free to send the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care the following note;
Letter regarding the Ontario government’s decision to withdraw OHIP+ on April 1st for students enrolled in other private insurance plans.
Dear Minister Elliott,
I am one of over 30,000 students at Carleton University, many of whom will be negatively impacted by the Ontario government’s decision to change OHIP+.
The April 1st change to OHIP+ will force me to pay a new cost for my medication, in the form of a co-pay. Ironically, this is happening because I made the responsible decision to buy insurance, provided by my students association.
The student insurance program covers a number of health issues in addition to prescription drugs; including mental health counseling, eye glasses and exams, vaccines, dental care and physiotherapy.
Like most university students, I get by with limited finances.
Because of this constraint on my spending, your decision to eliminate my access to OHIP+ drug coverage by not offering coordination of benefits, means that I may be forced to withdraw from my private insurance in order to limit my overall health expenses.
Oddly, this will also mean that the OHIP+ program will then be paying for 100% of my medication costs instead of the 20% co-pay that would have been billed if the government allowed coordination of benefits.
In light of this potential increase in costs, why is the government doing this?
And given the negative impact this decision will have on the health of Ontario university students, why did the government make this decision?
Please respond to me regarding the two questions above.
I also urge you to reconsider the health needs of Ontario students like me, and revisit your decision to eliminate my access to OHIP+.
Sincerely