OHIP Job Action Paused during Government Negotiation. Accepting All Patients for Eye Exams

Patrick Monaghan 

5 things to know about the optometry funding issue, and how the government can fix it.

The first step to fixing this issue is not nearly as complicated as MPP Martin is making it out to be.

Job action could end today with a simple commitment from the Ministry of Health, which they have been reluctant to make.

Here is a quick hit summary of what the main issues are.

  Amanda Pfeffer CBC Journalist

An in-depth discussion of issues.

As Ontario Optometrists are ready to protest outside Queens Park, patients and optometrists weigh in on their job action. Optometrists have withdrawn their services in their dispute with the province over covering their costs. We hear from MPP Robin Martin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Health Minister as well as Dr. Sheldon Salaba, head of the Ontario Association of Optometrists, as well as patients who have been without service for more than a month. 

Aired: Oct. 6, 2021

November 12, 2021
Progressive Conservative MPP Gila Martow says her own party should be doing more at Queen's Park to resolve a dragging dispute with optometrists.

Martow, a PC MPP for Thornhill and a qualified optometrist, told CP24 Friday that she is criticizing her party publicly because she feels her efforts to resolve the conflict within government have been ignored. She said that the Ford government did not listen to her and that now “the optometrists have no choice” but to take action by withholding services.  

GILA MARTOW Press Release: Ontario needs to settle the ongoing conflict with optometrists.

ONTARIO OPTOMETRISTS ARE THE LOWEST PAID IN CANADA
安省眼科醫生是全國資助最低的。

Our fees would have to increase by over 60% to reach the next lowest province. The bar graph here compares Ontario to other provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec) that fully fund eye care.

我們的費用必須增加 60% 以上才能到達第二低的省份。下面的圖將安省 Ontario 與其他全額資助眼科護理的省份（如: 亞省 Alberta、曼尼托巴省 Manitoba 和 魁北克省 Quebec 進行了比較。

 IF I AM COVERED BY OHIP, CAN I PAY FOR MY EYE EXAM?

如果我是OHIP 所涵蓋的人士， 我可以支付眼科檢查費用嗎？

No. Unfortunately, provincial law prevents anyone from paying for any OHIP-insured service, even if you have your own insurance.

不可以。安省法律是禁止任何人為OHIP所涵蓋的醫療服務付費，即使你有自己的保險。  

For over 30 years, successive Ontario governments have ignored Optometrists.

In 1989 the fee paid for an OHIP insured eye exam was $39.15; today, over 32 years later, it is on average $44.65. This has not kept up with inflation and does not come close to covering the cost (including rent, staff, utilities, equipment, taxes, and supplies) to provide an eye exam.  

Every time we perform an OHIP insured eye exam we do so at a loss.

This Is Not Sustainable.

30 多年來，安大略省歷屆政府都忽視了眼科醫生。

1989 年，OHIP 眼科檢查的費用為 $39.15； 32 年後的今天，平均價格為 $ 44.65。
這並沒有跟上通貨膨脹，也沒有接近眼科檢查的成本（包括租金、員工、水電費、設備、稅收和日常用品）。

每次我們進行 OHIP 眼科檢查時，我們都正在虧本。

這是不可持續的。

You may have read the government has offered us an 8.48% increase in our fees. For a senior’s eye exam that would raise our fee to $51.00. While that seems generous, it still leaves us more than 30% lower than Manitoba, the next lowest paid province. Unfortunately, an 8.48% increase does not make up for 32 years of neglect.

We need the government to prioritize and properly fund eye care to make it sustainable for years to come.

你也許已經知道安省政府向我們提供了 8.48% 的費用增長。對於老年人的眼科檢查，我們的費用會提高到$51.00。雖然這看起來很慷慨，但它仍然讓我們比第二低的曼尼托巴省 (MB - Manitoba) 低 30% 以上。不幸的是，8.48% 的增長並不能夠彌補 32 年來的忽視。

我們需要安省政府優先考慮並適當地資助眼科保健，以使其在未來可持續發展。