Bulletin Board - FSNA Kingston

The Federal Superannuates National Association Kingston & District Branch, c/o Box 1172, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4Y8, Telephone 1-613-384-2440 .-. Click on a comment link to express your view on a post. Alert a friend, to a post, by clicking on its envelope icon.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

National President's Open Letter on PDSP

Attached, an open letter from the National President to all members on the changes announced for the Pensioner's Dental Services Plan

http://www.fsna.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/national-president-open-letter-pdsp.pdf

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Ontario finalizes drug plan reforms, few changes made

On July 1, Ontario pharmacists will have to live with a drastic reduction in the revenues they receive through the public drug plan, and they are warning customers to brace for service cuts and fee increases for private-paying customers.

The government finalized controversial changes to the drug plan Monday, going ahead with the abolition of professional allowances which are rebates pharmacists receive from manufacturers on the cost of generic drugs purchased through Ontario’s Public Drug Program. It is estimated that the amount paid by manufacturers on these professional allowances adds up to $750 million a year.

Hand-in-hand with this policy move is a cap on the prices of generics at 25 per cent of the brand – a deeper discount than any other province has yet made, although the government has made some exceptions to this rule.

When the government announced its proposed changes in April there was considerable backlash from the pharmacy community which warned that some pharmacies would be forced out of business and services to customers would be severely curtailed.

A massive public relations campaign was launched to force the government to back down, but the finalized strategy only contains some relatively small changes.

“Despite the fact that Big Pharmacy opposed our changes with one of the most politically charged, American-style PR campaigns in this province’s history, I can tell you that our resolve has never wavered,” Health Minister Deb Matthews told a news conference Monday.

In addition to a $150 million fund to pay for additional professional services to patients, the government is offering pharmacists $75 million in transition fees. This amounts to $1 extra on each prescription to next April dropping steadily to zero by the start of the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Dispensing fees are also going up by a dollar to $8 for prescriptions filled through the public drug plan; pharmacies in small communities will get up to $12 a prescription depending on how far they are from another pharmacy.

There are no rules in place for how much pharmacies can charge private-paying customers for dispensing fees and these are slated to go up quickly to at least partially offset the revenue loss.

“Our ways to increase revenues are few and far between, and dispensing fees is one of them. We’ll probably see that rising over the next few months,” Dean Miller, chairman of the Ontario Pharmacists Association told Canadian Press.

More information at www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/drugreforms/min_communications.aspx.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

AlarmCare

FSNA is pleased to welcome AlarmCare as its newest affinity partner. AlarmCare is a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) designed to help anyone live independently and securely in their homes. If assistance is needed, a simple push of the help button will immediately send an emergency signal. Installation is free and the service regularly costs $28 per month. FSNA members are being offered a special price of only $25 per month for the first three months. More details on this addition to FSNA’s affinity programs will be in the summer issue of ON GUARD.

Appeal of the verdict of the pension surplus court case

On April 19 and 20, Richard Poersch, FSNA National Director for Ontario, attended the hearings of the appeal of the verdict of the pension surplus court case. He reports that at the proceedings, held at the Ontario Court of Appeal in Toronto, our lawyers did a very good job of representing members’ interests. However, the hearings also went well at the original trial but in the end, the verdict was not favourable. Therefore, let us not create false hopes. And let us not forget that if a favourable verdict is rendered, the only effect it will have would be a return of the $30 billion surplus back to the superannuation accounts.

The outcome of the appeal will be known only when the appeal judges have finished reviewing the case and render their ultimate verdict, a process which usually takes several months.

Some Ontario health related news

Ontario wait times down, but not for long-term care

Progress has been made in reducing wait times for care in Ontario over the past year, the Ontario Health Quality Council says in its fifth annual report released Thursday. However, it warns that roadblocks to patient flow are causing backlogs.

There have been “solid improvements” in cardiovascular care, including declining rates for heart attack mortality and hospital readmissions.

Wait times are also considered “good” for both cardiovascular surgeries and cataract removals, and have improved for hip and knee replacements as well. The Council furthermore sees “cautious signs for improvement in care for diabetes and other chronic diseases.”

But it says wait times for long-term care have tripled since 2005 and stand at 105 days overall. Fully 16 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by patients who do not need to be there, but are waiting for a place in community care.

The report points to the success Lethbridge, Alberta has achieved in using assisted living and supportive housing to reduce reliance on long-term care. Wait times there are under a month, yet it uses one-third fewer long-term care beds than Ontario.

The issue with long-term care came as no surprise to the Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors in the province. In a news release commenting on the Council’s report, it pointed out that there are about 76,000 long-term care beds in the province which are 98 per cent full and there is a wait-list of over 25,000 people.

On other matters, the Council is pleased that the use of electronic medical records in physicians’ offices increased from 26 to 43 per cent between 2007 and 2009. But it is perplexed that access to primary care remains a problem despite a steady increase in the supply of health professionals. About seven per cent of Ontarians (some 730,000 people) do not have a family doctor.

Recent legislation in the province aims to expand the mandate of the Council to promote evidence-based care. It will also be given the job to make recommendations to the government on the “provision of funding for health care services and medical devices.”

The Council’s report can be found at www.ohqc.ca/pdfs/2010_report_-_english.pdf.






Ontario interested in changing physician compensation

Ontario’s health minister is open to some of the ideas in last week’s report from TD Economics calling for “urgent” reforms to health care. The report said rising health care costs are unsustainable.

In an interview with reporters last Thursday, Health and Long-Term Minister Deb Matthews said the report’s recommendation of limiting drug plan coverage for wealthier seniors was “something we can look at.” She was similarly interested in another recommendation to shift more physicians from fee-for-service to salary-based compensation.

The report said “a healthy and vigorous debate” on the future of health care is needed – again something Ms. Matthews supports.

In fact, this has become a standard refrain from the minister and Premier Dalton McGuinty since the need to engage Ontarians in an “important conversation” about the funding challenges of health care was first mentioned in the March Speech from the Throne.

That Speech promised a period of unrelenting reform in health care, and the government has already taken a number of steps in this direction including radical changes to the drug plan and the abolition of lucrative professional allowances or rebates pharmacists receive from generic drug companies for stocking their products.

Pharmacists are still fighting the initiative which is due to come into effect this month.

The TD report saw distinct advantages in using capitated payment models whereby physicians get paid a certain amount per patient, as well as salary arrangements which have been put in place for new team-based primary care practices.

“Once doctors have moved away from billing for services performed towards a blended per-capita, salary and volume structure, further incentives can be put in place through the payment mechanisms to reward effective practice, increased number of patients, etcetera.”

The report’s focus on aligning physician compensation with performance is again something that was mooted in the Throne Speech. It promised legislation “to make health care providers and executives accountable for improving patient care.” However, the legislation that was tabled in early May (Excellent Care for All Act) only tied hospital executive compensation to meeting quality objectives.

There is a certain willingness on the part of Ontario physicians to consider different ways of being remunerated. The 2007 National Physician Survey found half would prefer some form of blended payment.

The three most desired components of this formula were fee-for-service, on-call, and benefits/pension payments. Salary and task-related (sessional) payments were further down the list.

Issues with Ontario's H1N1 vaccination program

Ontario was lucky the H1N1 pandemic was not worse, the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health says in a report this week on how Ontario fared. Dr. Arlene King says the province had a plan and was prepared, but had more people swarmed emergency departments for longer than they did “that might very well have tipped the system.” She says there is a need “to take a hard look at our immunization system” including ways of tracking and managing vaccination programs which were inadequate during the outbreak. Dr. King says there is also a need for strong central oversight and management during an outbreak. This includes giving her office the authority to direct what the province’s 36 public health units do “in real time.” Her report can be found at www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ministry_reports/cmoh_h1n1/cmoh_h1n1_20100602.pdf

Thursday, June 03, 2010

NDI 75 RECORD OF SERVICE CARD


Please read and follow the instructions carefully. There is no need to call as the application form is posted to our website at www.cpva.ca. Note that there is a long backlog of up to six months to obtain the card.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

Write to the same address as indicated on the form to obtain a replacement certificate of service (release certificate) as well as your service pin.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Concerning the possible entitlement to a Record of Service Card - NDI 75.

Note - this is often mistakenly referred to as a Veteran’s Card or Veterans Identification card, in essence it is a pocket size Certificate of the member’s record of service. Thus Record of Service Card.

2. The Record of Service Card - NDI 75 is issued to members leaving or who have left the Canadian Forces, with 10 or more years of service.

3. If you meet the eligibility criteria, use the application form attached. It is imperative the information required is legible. Complete with the member’s: Service Number, Military ID Number or Social Insurance Number. Two colour passport–type photographs measuring 1½” x 2”. Processing time after this office receives the application, is approximately 3–6 months to mail the card to applicant.

Mail to: Record of Service Card - NDI 75

Director Military Careers Administration 4

National Defence Headquarters

MGen George R. Pearkes Building

101 Colonel By Dr

Ottawa ON K1A 0K2

4. Replacement of the Record of Service Card - NDI 75 may be requested with a cost of $15.00 payable in the form of a Postal Money Order made payable to the Receiver General for Canada.

This information has kindly been provided to the CPVA by NDHQ. Please follow the instructions, complete the form posted at www.cpva.ca. enclose your documents, photos and payment, and do avoid calling as they are extremely busy trying to meet the demand. Please do not contact the undersigned or info@cpva.ca as we have no further information at this time. For updates, pleased consult our website at www.cpva.ca.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

PSHCP Benefit Card

This message is to advise you of some additional information that has been posted on the National Joint Council Web site regarding the PSHCP Benefit Card.


This "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) document highlights the fact that positive enrolment will be mandatory - every plan member will have to complete positively enrolment to be able to submit claims for reimbursement.


17. What happens if some plan members choose not to enroll themselves or their dependants? Will it affect their claims?


Yes. Members who have not completed positive enrolment by the time electronic claims processing starts will have their claims returned with details on what they need to do to complete positive enrolment, on paper or electronically. Under the new contract, claims for all benefits will not be processed until the member completes positive enrolment."


The FAQ is posted at http://njc-cnm.gc.ca/doc.php?did=492&lang=eng.


Personal information on every plan participant (name, permanent address, date of birth, etc.) must be provided to Sun Life through the positive enrolment process. Members will have the option of completing positive enrolment either on paper or electronically.


Plan members will also have the option either of receiving a plastic PSHCP benefit card in the mail or printing a paper version from the Sun Life website.


As of November 1, 2010, the PSHCP benefit card will be accepted at pharmacies in Canada to purchase eligible prescription drugs and certain medical supplies.


All plan members will continue to be eligible for reimbursement of prescription drugs by the PSHCP whether they use the PSHCP benefit card or submit claims using the paper Claim Form posted on the PSHCP Administration Authority Web site at www.pshcp.ca.


An information package on how to complete positive enrolment will be sent by Sun Life in July 2010, either by e-mail or regular mail.


Members who have registered on the Sun Life plan member Web site and have a vallid e-mail address on file will receive information by e-mail on completing positive enrolment online. If you are not registered on the Sun Life website and wish to complete positive enrolment online, please go to www.sunlife.ca/pshcp and click on "Register Now". Be sure to include your preferred e-mail address.


Otherwise, the information package and enrolment form will be mailed to the last known address of plan members (from your most recent claim). If you are not sure whether Sun Life has your up-to-date address, please call the PSHCP call centre at 1-888-757-7427 to confirm that your correct address is on file. Remember, the files for the dental plan are separate from those for the PSHCP, so you will have to confirm your address specifically for the PSHCP.


More information will be available in the PSHCP Bulletin #24 which will be published next month (June 2010)."

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Dental coverage for those living in long term care/residential facilities

The PDSP and the PSHCP offer coverage for eligible dental care and services regardless of place of residence. However, dental care may be provided for seniors or low-income seniors in long term care facilities or residential facilities as per each provincial/territorial legislation. Legislation varies from province to province and in fact from region to region.

“…The Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan (PDSP) is intended to provide coverage to eligible pensioners for specific dental services and supplies that are not covered under a provincial or territorial health or dental care plan.”
PDSP Rules (April 1, 2006)

Where to claim the amounts not covered under a provincial/territorial health or dental plan will depend on whether the expenses were for oral surgery or for accidental injury.

“…If a member is covered under the Public Service Dental Care Plan, the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan, the RCMP Dependants Dental Care Plan, or the CF Dependants Dental Care Plan, claims for expenses for oral surgery should first be submitted to that [dental] plan. Any amount not covered by that plan may be submitted to the PSHCP. (amended September 8, 2006)”
PSHCP Directive (April 1, 2006)

“…If a member is covered under the Public Service Dental Plan, the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan, the RCMP Dependants Dental Care Plan, or the CF Dependants Dental Care Plan, claims for expenses for accidental injury should first be submitted to the PSHCP. (amended September 8, 2006)”
PSHCP Directive (April 1, 2006)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

FSNA Sponsered Relocation Services Program

We have learned that even though the relocation program has been available to FSNA members for over 6 years, many members are still unaware of the program. We attach a brochures that may be of use to you in your branch. Click here.

Clarifying Rules On Above-Guideline Rent Increase

Clarifying Rules On Above-Guideline Rent Increase

April 12, 2010 10:40 AM

To protect tenants, Ontario is clarifying rules governing how the HST will affect above-guideline rent increases.

Under current regulations, a landlord could apply for an above-guideline rent increase based on the HST on utility costs. A proposed change to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) would prevent tenants from being charged the HST in an above-guideline rent increase for utility costs.

As established by the RTA, landlords will continue to be eligible for annual rent increase guidelines based on the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases

The proposed regulations have been posted online the government's website for 45 days to allow Ontarians to comment.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Still Further Ontario Health Issues

Pharmacy battle in Ontario heats up

There are suggestions the Ontario government may be prepared to put more money on the table to help pharmacies deal with sweeping drug reforms it proposed last week.

This follows strong reaction from two big pharmacy chains to the government’s recent decision to abolish rebates pharmacies receive from generic drug companies for stocking their products. The price of generic drugs is also being capped at 25 per cent of the brand.

On Monday, Shoppers Drug Mart announced that it was reducing operating hours at seven of its stores in London which also happens to be the area represented in the legislature by Health Minister Deb Matthews. As of next Monday, these stores will also be implementing a fee for delivery services.

On Tuesday, the Rexall chain announced that it too would start charging for deliveries next Monday. It is also instituting a hiring freeze for its head office including the cancellation of its pharmacy student and intern programs in Ontario.

Ms. Matthews has responded to these measures by accusing “Big Pharmacy” of holding patients hostage in its battle with government. She has also accused pharmacy groups of spreading misinformation designed to “worry patients unfairly.”

However, there are signs that the government may be willing to reach a compromise. Shortly before the Rexall announcement, Ms. Matthews said the government may increase a $100 million fund it has promised to compensate pharmacies for professional services they provide customers, like vaccinations and counseling for conditions like diabetes.

“Because they’re taking pressure off our family doctors, if they’re taking pressure off emergency departments, we want to compensate them for that,” she told the Toronto Star.

In addition to the $100 million fund, the government is providing $140 million for the MedCheck program which pays for people to have their prescriptions reviewed by a pharmacist. Dispensing fees are also going up a dollar to $8 and will increase by 2.5 per cent a year.

However, this falls well short of the $750 million which pharmacies stand to lose with the abolition of professional allowances from generic drug companies.

On Wednesday, Premier Dalton McGuinty acknowledged that the government’s new policy may hurt small pharmacies more than those which have diversified product offerings including groceries and cosmetics.

“That’s something we want to keep our eye on, of course, but remember the responsibility of our government is not to ensure that we have a particular kind of pharmacy industry in place,” he told Canadian Press.

Mr. McGuinty said the government’s job is to ensure Ontarians have affordable, quality drugs and as many pharmacies as are necessary to ensure they have access to these drugs. HE


Ideas for Ontario to save money on health care proposed
Ontario could shave $2.2 billion off its health bill if it were to spend at the same rate per capita as in other provinces for physician services, a new report released Thursday suggests. This would represent a drop of $842 to $672 per person.

The report, Ideas and Opportunities for Bending the Health Care Cost Curve, was produced by the Ontario Hospital Association, Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres and the Ontario Federation of Community Health and Addiction Programs.

The report also says one per cent of the population accounts for 49 per cent of combined hospital and home care costs, and figures that every 10 per cent reduction on the $8 billion in expenditures used by this group would equal $800 million in savings. It recommends a comprehensive analysis of service utilization to select key priorities for initiatives to reduce these costs.

Another idea is to set up a single organization to drive the province’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Strategy. The report says every 10 per cent reduction in the $12 billion attributed to major chronic illness equals $1.2 billion in savings.

The report also counsels the implementation of leading practices in targeted areas such as wound care and palliative care, as well as the management of drug expenditures and implementation of selected hospital human resource initiatives.


Ontario goes after pharmacy earnings in new drug reforms

The Ontario government has taken direct aim at pharmacy profits in an attempt to lower its drug bill. It announced Wednesday that it will be abolishing a key source of pharmacy revenues, a move which the pharmacy community warns will see some services traditionally offered to customers disappear.

The government’s two-prong strategy will abolish rebates the province’s 3,306 pharmacies receive from generic drug manufacturers to stock their products, and lower the prices of generic drugs to 25 per cent of the brand.

It had taken similar but far less drastic action in 2006, recasting rebates as “professional allowances” that had to be used to fund patient services and limiting the amount collected to 20 per cent of the cost of the product. The price of generic drugs was also capped at 50 per cent of the brand.

These measures were implemented just for drugs reimbursed by public drug programs in the province, and the private sector ended up paying more as a result.

Of the $750 million which generic drug companies paid to Ontario pharmacists in 2009, over $600 million was applied to products purchased by cash-paying customers and through private drug plans. Instead of a 50 per cent price cap, they paid an estimated 70 per cent of the brand.

This is now changing. The measures are being instituted in the public sector as soon as legislation can be passed, and are being phased in for the private sector. By 2014, everyone will be paying the same.

The savings will be significant – the public sector alone expects to recoup over $500 million.

The government is offering pharmacists $150 million in funding to offset their loss in professional allowances, to be used for counseling and other direct services provided to customers.

Some of this money will be specifically earmarked for pharmacies in small communities who are likely to be the hardest hit by the new policies. Dispensing fees will also be bumped up a dollar from $7 currently and increased annually; they will go up $4 in rural and underserviced areas of the province.

Health Minister Deb Matthews says all of this will give pharmacies $246 million in relief – well short of the revenue that will be lost – but she underlined the government’s determination to weather the inevitable backlash.

“I have a simple message for big pharmacies – the days of artificial high drug prices paid on the backs of patients and taxpayers are gone, and they are gone for good,” she told Canwest News.

In media interviews Wednesday, she said the current system is being abused by pharmacists and suggested some people would call professional allowances “kickbacks.”

The reporting mechanism the government set up for how professional allowances were being used revealed that 70 per cent have gone to “fringe benefits, overhead costs and boosting profits instead of patient services as was the intent.”

However, the Canadian Pharmacists Association said professional allowances have been an established part of pharmacy funding for many years and the government has used them to subsidize services and minimize dispensing fees (which are the lowest in the country).

Pharmacists are painting a grim picture of what will happen as a result of their revenue loss.

“For neighbourhood pharmacies, the government’s cuts will mean reduced hours of operation, less staff, and fewer patient services,” Ben Shenouda, a community pharmacist in Brampton and president of the Independent Pharmacists Association of Ontario told reporters.

The government’s news release and background materials can be found at www.health.gov.on.ca/en/news/release/2010/apr/nr_20100407.aspx. HE


OMA rejects report saying physicians are overpaid

Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews is trying not to be drawn into a debate between the province’s medical and hospital associations over whether physicians are being paid too much.

A report last week, co-produced by the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) along with the Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres and the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs, presented a number of ways for the government to save money on health care.

Included was the suggestion that Ontario could save $2.2 billion if it paid the same rate per capita on physician services as other provinces.

The Ontario Medical Association called the figures "misleading" and said they do not account for differing patient volumes and demographics.

"The leadership of the OHA is out of touch with the rest of the province's health care providers, who are all working tirelessly to improve quality care for Ontario's patients," OMS President Suzanne Strasberg told Canadian Press.

Health Minister Deb Matthews would not comment on the report, saying the government is committed to the four-year contract it signed with physicians in 2008.

However, Ms. Matthews opened the door to speculation that the government may take a harder line with physicians in the next round by telling CP that targeting how doctors are paid is "not part of our plan right now."

Ontario Hospital Association President Tom Closson said physicians need to be subject to the same performance guidelines as hospitals.

“Hospital CEOs are going to be on pay-for-performance. It’s really important that we have doctors’ accountability and hospitals’ accountability aligned,” he told CP.
He suggested the new physicians’ contract could include expectations on patient volumes per physician and the number of hours they would be available. HE


No end in sight for war over Ontario drug reforms

The stand-off between the Ontario government and pharmacists over controversial drug reforms continued this week.

Both sides have ratcheted up the public relations battle to win public opinion. Pharmacists started a two-week advertising blitz, and the Ministry of Health has turned to YouTube to get its message across.

Government is saying it is trying to get lower drug prices for Ontarians, while the other side says government is trying to solve with its deficit issues on the back of community pharmacy.

So far no talks have been held to deal with the impasse, but the Independent Pharmacists Association has accused the government of shunning its proposals to save the drug plan $1.3 billion over the next four years.

These proposals include phasing out of professional allowances which are at the centre of the government’s new reforms.

Professional allowances are paid by generic drug companies for pharmacies stocking their products.

Pharmacy says government has to put more money on the tablet to offset the loss in revenues from professional allowances. Dispensing fees, instead of going up a dollar to $8, would have to double. HE


Ontario nurse practitioners could get new powers
Ontario is prepared to look at the idea of nurse practitioners admitting and discharging patients, something the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario has been after for some time. Premier Dalton McGuinty, speaking at the RNAO’s annual meeting this past week, said he is committed “to getting to work on that.”

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Further Health Issues

Ontario embarking on a path of ‘constant’ health reform

The Ontario government is planning to have a serious conversation with the people of the province about the sustainability of health care which currently consumes 46 cents of every program dollar and could reach 70 cents in another 12 years.

In a Speech from the Throne which opened a new session of the legislature Monday, the government said the question is how to continue funding health care without crowding out other priorities like education and economic development.

“That is a discussion that will happen, sooner or later, in every Canadian province and territory,” the Speech said, adding that Ontario plans to lead the “national dialogue.”

No timetable or process was mentioned in the Speech for how the government intends to hold this dialogue, but it listed a number of changes the government has in mind.

To begin with, it will be taking steps to achieve savings in the drug plan. The government wants to lower the price it pays for generics which could mean a further reduction in rebates pharmacies receive from manufacturers to stock their products.

Health and Long-Term Care Minister Deb Matthews told the Toronto Sun after the Throne Speech that the government has been “in pretty intense conversations over the past month” with various groups over the issue, but she is optimistic of reaching a new deal.

The item which really grabbed people’s attention is the government’s intention to use a patient-based approach for funding hospitals where the “money will follow the patient.” This suggests a shift to what is called activity-based funding or ABF in which hospitals are paid for services actually delivered. However, at this point, it is not exactly clear what the government has in mind.

Over the last few years, it has been introducing a new method of divvying up the health budget between the 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) in the province.

It is called the Health-Based Allocation Model or HBAM and takes into account such things as health status and demographics of the LHIN population to ensure equitable distribution of funds. The LHINs then spread the money around the various institutions, but there is no precise formula for doing this and it is still largely based on historical spending patterns.

And there is also a pay-for-results program that is part of the province’s Wait-Time Strategy. It provides incentives for hospitals achieving targets for wait times and patient volumes in certain areas.

The list has been expanded over time to seven services: general surgery, cancer and cardiac care, pediatric and orthopedic surgery, cataract removals and diagnostic scans. About half the province’s 154 hospitals apparently receive funding from this program and the government would like to see it expand.

Activity-based funding is being pushed by the Canadian Medical Association, and it has the support of the Ontario Hospital Association although it says it cannot fairly be used for teaching hospitals and those in small communities where competition between facilities for the patient business is not practical.

Health Minister Matthews agrees that rural and small hospitals will still need a global funding model, but she told reporters Tuesday that the transition to more patient-based payments will drive efficiencies in the health system.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions disputes this. It says the government is undermining the most efficient hospital system in the country by bringing in competition. Ontario has the lowest per capita hospital costs of any province.

The Council says the UK equivalent of activity-based funding has been controversial, and notes that a recent study by the London-based Civitas Institute concluded that the National Health Service has incurred the costs of competition without reaping any of the benefits.

Mixed in with these developments is the promise in the Speech that “Patients will have greater choice about where they can access the best quality treatment.” Again, no further detail was provided, but it may suggest the creation of centres of excellence where patients, willing to travel, may be able to get treatment.

NDP Health Critic France Gélinas says what the government will be doing is forcing people in rural and remote areas to make long treks to the big cities for needed care.

Other things promised in the Speech are an overhaul of the Public Hospitals Act, and legislation making health care providers and executives accountable for improving patient care. An independent, expert advisory body will also be created to provide recommendations on clinical practice guidelines to “ensure future investments get results and improve public health.”

The government says it will be “pursuing a path of constant reform” and this has Linda Haslam-Stroud, president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association, worried. “RNs understand that some reform has been necessary, but have suffered through constant restructuring for more than a decade,” she said in a news release. HE



Sustainability of health care concerns Canadians

Canadians are concerned about the sustainability of health care, a recent Ipsos-Reid poll for the Canadian Medical Association has found. Six-in-10 respondents agreed that health care will eclipse other public spending priorities.

Asked what their remedies would be, Canadians were almost unanimous (91 per cent) in saying that making the health care system more efficient and effective was the best way to slow down growing health care costs. However, only a third (35 per cent) are confident that governments and administrators are up to the task.

Respondents were also asked about ways to fund health care, and only about a third were in favour of raising taxes. The idea which got the most support was to “develop a contribution-based Canada Health Plan” similar to the Canada Pension Plan to set aside financial resources for people who need health care.

Two thirds liked the idea of a Registered Health Savings Plan for people to save money on a tax-free basis for health services that are not included in public health plan coverage.

A link to the report can be found at: www.cma.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/8698/la_id/1.htm. HE



Mixed reaction to federal budget from health groups

Major health-care lobby groups in Ottawa were pleased that last week’s federal budget kept the government’s promise not to touch health transfer payments to the provinces and territories.

“Canada’s doctors are pleased to see that the federal government isn’t planning to balance the budget on the backs of Canadian patients,” CMA President Dr. Anne Doig said in a news release.

Dr. Doig’s sentiments were universally shared by other groups who were also pleased that the delayed $500 million funding for Canada Health Infoway in the last budget will finally be released.

Dr. Karen Cohen, the executive director of the Canadian Psychological Association and co-chair of the Health Action Lobby, a consortium of some 37 groups, was also relieved to see the Infoway money would be forthcoming. She said accelerating the introduction of new information technologies “can have a powerful and transformative impact on the health system.”

The Canadian Healthcare Association was disappointed there was nothing in the new budget to reduce poverty among seniors even though the Speech from the Throne said the government will be addressing the demands of the aging population.

The CHA mentioned two things it would have liked to have seen: adjusting pension plan rules to exclude low-earning years when people have been providing care to sick family members; and, the introduction of a social insurance model for long-term care costs.

The Canadian Nurses Association said the budget did not go far enough at what it sees as a critical juncture for health care in Canada.

“We see this federal budget as a missed opportunity to initiate a much-needed transformation of the health system,” CNA President Kaaren Neufeld said in a news release.

The CNA says strategic investments are needed to put more emphasis on keeping people healthy although it was pleased there was some spending in this area. ParticipACTION, for example, received $6 million in the new budget.

The nurses did like the fact that there is more money for health research, but CNA CEO Rachel Bard said the amounts are “far too modest to fuel the significant changes needed to build the health-care system of tomorrow.”

However, the Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations (ACAHO) said the research investments show the government recognizes the role that research hospitals and their research institutes play in advancing the country’s innovation agenda.

It pointed to the $16 million for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, $45 million over five years for post-doctoral research fellowships, and $8 million to support the indirect costs of research programs, among other spending items in the new budget.

Ontario changes rules for where IMGs work and support for rural physician recruitment
International medical graduates in Ontario no longer have to first work for five years in rural and northern communities in exchange for postgraduate training opportunities. They can now practice in any community outside the Toronto area and Ottawa.

The government has also introduced the Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative which will provide grants to doctors and new doctor graduates who agree to practice in a northern or highly rural community. It replaces the underserviced area program which provided incentive payments to small communities for them to use in attracting physicians.

The government has introduced a rating system to assess the eligibility of communities for Initiative. (News release at www.news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2010/03/improving-access-to-health-care.html

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Health News

Federal budget protects health transfers, little new spending

The good news for health care in Thursday’s federal budget was that transfer payments, as previously promised, will not be touched in the government’s drive to whittle down its massive $54 billion deficit to a mere $1.8 billion by 2014-15.
“We will not balance the budget by cutting transfer payments for health care and education or by raising taxes on hard-working Canadians,” Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said in his budget speech.

The government had been counselled by some experts to cut transfers as a way to deal with the deficit, as had been done in 1995, but an opinion poll for the Canadian Medical Association this week showed the public thought otherwise.

The Ipsos-Reid survey found that while two-thirds of Canadians supported the idea of reduced spending on government programs to deal with the deficit, only 16 per cent approved of extending this to health care.

Equalization payments to the have-not provinces, which are another source of revenue for health care, were also left untouched in Thursday’s budget.

But there was little else in the budget in terms of additional funding for health care. The $612 million Patient Wait Times Guarantee Trust, helping the provinces and territories set a guaranteed maximum wait time for at least one priority procedure, lapses at the end of this month. It is not being renewed.

First Nations will be pleased that the government is providing $285 million over two years to renew five aboriginal health programs, including the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative.

The three territories will also be relieved that the government is continuing the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative, at least for now. The budget provides $60 million to extend the pact for another two years.

There was also money in the budget for research and development, including $10 million to support clinical trials on the use of medical isotopes in clinical practice.

Last year’s budget had provided Canada Health Infoway with $500 million to continue its work on electronic health records. This money got held up by “due diligence” activities, and there were fears that it would be another budget casualty. However, the new budget said this money will be forthcoming, and is being booked in the 2009-10 fiscal year. HE



Ontario set to launch new round of health reforms

A Speech from the Throne will be read in the Ontario legislature Monday, the first in over two years, and health care is likely to be front-and-centre.

Canadian Press reported this week that the McGuinty government wants to start a conversation on health with Ontarians, much like British Columbia did almost four years ago. The topic will be how to make the health system financially sustainable.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who will be presenting his new budget later this month, told the Toronto Sun that the government is not looking at specific cost-cutting measures to make the health system affordable.

On the other hand, it would appear that the government is not considering any revenue moves either. Premier McGuinty told Canadian Press that he will not be copying B.C.’s move to use all revenues from the new Harmonized Sales Tax for health care.

One new approach that is on the table, according to a front-page story in the Toronto Star Thursday, is introducing activity-based funding for hospitals. This pays them a certain price for actual services delivered and embodies the principle of “the money following the patient.” The idea is that there will be healthy competition between facilities to offer the best results and lowest wait times to get the patient business and the funding.

The Star says the government believes it can save 10 to 20 per cent of its hospital budget using this model, or somewhere between $1.8 billion and $3.6 billion.

Alberta plans to bring in activity-based funding for seniors’ care on April 1, at the start of the 2010-11 fiscal year, and apply it to all acute-care patients next year. A recent report by three economists advising Quebec’s finance minister on the new budget also suggested that this model was worth a look. HE

Veteran's Card

Many of you have been asking about the “Veteran’s Card”. A plastic Record of Service Card NDI 75 is available to all retired military service personnel of the Canadian Forces, Regular and Reserve components.

Plusieurs d’entre vous me demande à propos de la « Carte du Vétéran ». Une carte de registre de service NDI 75 est disponible pour tous les militaires à la retraite des Forces canadiennes, y inclus la Régulière et la Réserve.

This card is valid to enter all federal government historic sites and is recognized at some historic sites in Europe as well. It is essential to book free passage on VIA Rail in July and for other transportation agencies and companies for passage.

Cette carte est valide pour accéder aux sites historiques du gouvernement fédéral et est même reconnu à certains sites en Europe aussi. Elle est essentielle pour prendre passage sur VIA Rail en juillet et pour d’autres transporteurs à titre gratuit.

To obtain your NDI 75 card write to the address below. They will send you a form to complete which you will have to return with two pictures of yourself. The procedure takes from 6 to 8 weeks. Apply now!

Pour obtenir votre carte NDI 75 écrivez à l’adresse ci- bas. Ils vous enverront un formulaire que vous devrez compléter et retourner avec deux photos de vous-même. Cela peut prendre entre 6 à 8 semaines. Appliquez maintenant!

Service Recognition / Commission Scripts and Scrolls

DMCA 4-2-2-4-3-2

National Defence Headquarters

MGen George R. Pearkes Building

101 Colonel By Drive

Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Tax Alert -The Canada Revenue Agency warns Canadians of mail scam

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is warning taxpayers to beware of a recent scam where some Canadians are receiving a letter fraudulently identified as coming from the CRA and asking for personal information. The letter is not from the CRA. A PDF version of the letter is available on the CRA Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/alert.

The letter claims that there is “insufficient information” for the individual’s tax return and that in order to receive any “claims,” they will have to update their records. The letter attaches a form specifically requesting the individual’s personal information in writing, via fax or email, including information on bank accounts and passports. This letter is not from the CRA and Canadians should not provide their personal information to the sender.

All taxpayers should be vigilant when divulging any confidential information to third parties. The CRA has well established practices to protect the confidentiality of taxpayers’ information.

The CRA has notified the proper law enforcement authorities of this scam.

For information about this and other similar scams, or to report deceptive telemarketing activity, visit www.phonebusters.com, send an email to info@phonebusters.com, or call 1-888-495-8501.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Pension surplus court case – appeal to be heard in April

The Court of Appeal for Ontario has set the dates of April 19 to 21, 2010, to hear the appeal of the judgement rendered in November 2007 by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The 2007 judgment dismissed the actions challenging the pension surplus provision of Bill C-78 that allowed the federal government to take the $30 billion surplus accumulated in the superannuation accounts of the Canadian Forces, the public service, and the RCMP. The 17 plaintiffs involved in this case, of which FSNA, represented by the Executive director and the Senior research and Communications Officer, met on January 20 to discuss relevant strategies.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Tax receipts for dues

This is a repeat of a note received from National Office last year. It still applies

T
o all branches, RSOs, branch report editors, and NBOD members

Reminder:

Please be advised that FSNA does not and has never issued dues tax receipts. We do issue a statement of dues for the past year and this statement shows the amount of dues that we collected for all DDS paid members in the year in question. It is therefore the members choice as to what they do with such statement. Some members submit their statement of dues to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and their statements are honoured but many submit them and they are rejected by CRA. This problem is an internal one at CRA and one that we have no control over.

We are aware that

according to the CRA regulations, our membership dues are not acceptable as an income tax deduction - one of the key reasons is that we are not a charity nor a professional organization (where members need to maintain a designation for employment purposes). This is not a new policy, it has always been the case.

This above message is what should be communicated to members. If members want to submit their statement of dues for income tax purposes they should be made aware that such can be and most likely will be rejected. If CRA lets it slip through as a deduction (worth about $5), then it is CRA's error.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Pension Increase for 2010

The Treasury Board has announced that the increase in indexing to be applied, on January 1, 2010, to public service, Canadian Forces, RCMP, and federally appointed judges’ pensions will be 0.5% (half of one per cent).

To see comments from your fellow FSNA members click here

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Bomber Command - The Play

Those of you interested in the history of Bomber Command may be interested in this play. Click here