Out-of-town medical appointments called unfair to Newfoundland seniors

Because of the kindness of a friend, Carol Clarke of Clarenville got to St. John’s for a bone scan, but the senior says medical transportation should not be a burden.

“Do we have to beg for access for medical treatment?” asked Clarke, who has had one leg amputated and is in a wheelchair, and has difficulty accessing taxi shuttles.

“We are just being swept under the rug. Out of sight, out of mind.”

This summer Clarke was referred to the Health Sciences Centre for a bone scan that her doctor told her could not be done in Clarenville’s G.B. Cross Hospital.

Clarke said she tried a phone number for medical transportation inquiries at the Department of Health, but was told she didn’t qualify for help. She said she was given another number to call, but her message was not returned.

A couple of years prior to that, Clarke was supposed to go to Gander for more detailed eye tests, but was unable to make that appointment due to transportation issues.

In the instance of the bone scan, when a friend dropped by her home and she mentioned the situation, he offered to help.

But Clarke doesn’t like to ask neighbours and friends to drive her to out-of-town appointments, as she feels it’s an inconvenience.

She insisted on giving her kind friend gas and parking money.

“I hate to always be asking my friends. … That man had to take a whole day, from 7:30 in the morning to 5:30 (p.m.). That’s a long day to have to fool around with me at a hospital,” Clarke said.

“I just think that people have to be aware that when doctors here say you've got to have a bone scan or something done with your eyes, go to Gander or to St. John’s, they should tell you right off the bat that you have to pay for this yourself. Get there yourself — that’s it.

“As far as I am concerned, if a hospital here is not able to provide a service, it’s somebody’s responsibility to see that we get that service someplace.”

Clarke doesn’t have family anywhere nearby.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

According to the provincial Department of Health, the medical transportation assistance program helps beneficiaries of the Medical Care Plan (MCP) who incur substantial out-of-pocket travel costs to access specialized insured medical services that are not available in their immediate area and/or within the province. It is not dependent on income.

Under the medical transportation program, MCP beneficiaries required to travel for specialized insured medical services may be eligible to apply for financial assistance for airfare (and related eligible taxi fares), private vehicle usage, purchased registered accommodations (and related meal allowance), buses and ferries.

However, on the island portion of the province, people like Clarke must pay the first $400 of costs.

There are no provisions in the medical transportation assistance program that are specific to seniors or individuals with disabilities.

(There is a separate assistance program under income support as well as people with low income, but Clarke said she is not eligible for those.)

The department also pointed out it has programs to assist taxi companies with accessibility standards, as well as assistance for community-based transportation programs and for people who must adapt or buy private vehicles that are accessible. (It provides 100 per cent funding — up to $25,000 — to eligible applicants with annual net incomes of $46,500 or less, and partial funding for eligible applicants with annual net incomes between $46,500 and $64,000.)

All that is cold comfort to Clarke, who said she has tried taxi shuttles and couldn’t get in the vehicles.

As for the $400 deductible, she said it’s still a lot of money for many.

If she were located in St. John’s, Clarke said, it would be easy to get to appointments by taxi or accessible bus, which makes it unfair for seniors trying to remain in their rural or smalltown homes to get to medical appointments when services aren’t available locally.

“They just make it difficult,” she said. “I don’t want to go to a home. … It’s a terrible situation.”

Meanwhile, people can contact the medical transportation assistance program directly at 1-877-475-2412 to determine eligibility.