January 11, 2019: A weekly scan of new legislation and regulations important to the Ontario health sector, as well as articles of interest.
Bills
No new bills of interest.
Regulations
Reg 201/96 – Ontario Drug Benefit Act
Beginning March 2019, children and youth who do not have existing prescription drug benefits covered by privates plans will continue to receive coverage through OHIP+, but for those who are covered by private insurance, those plans will be billed instead. Proposed amendments to O.REG 201/96 to incorporate the following changes to OHIP+:
- Children and youth with private insurance would have access to prescribed medicines as they did prior to the launch of OHIP+ through private insurer as first payor.
- Additional financial support for out of pocket expenses can be applied for through the Trillium Drug Program (“TDP”), and if such out of pocket costs do not reach the TDP deductibles, no public coverage would be provided unless the child/youth becomes eligible through another eligibility stream.
- If such out of pocket costs meet the TDP deductibles, public coverage will be provided subject to a maximum $2 co-payment per prescription that may be charged by a pharmacy.
- Children and youth who are eligible for the Ontario Drug Benefit Program through social assistance, home care services or residence in a home for special care or community home for opportunity would have no co-payments or deductibles.
- Private insurance is defined as any type of private plan, program or account which could contribute to the cost of any drug product, regardless of whether:
- the private insurance plan covers the particular drug for which coverage is sought,
- the child or youth or another person captured under the private insurance plan is required to pay a co-payment, deductible, or premium, or,
- the child or youth has reached their annual maximum under the private insurance plan and no further coverage is available.
More Information: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=28346&language=en
Comments Due date: Jan 31, 2019
Articles of Interest
Opioid Crisis
Ontario regions hit hardest by the opioid crisis may not get supervised drug-use sites
OMA weighs in on supervised injection site stigma
Marijuana
Ontario’s Cannabis retail lottery will have just 25 winners. But is it a smart approach, or a golden ticket to nowhere?
Origin of Bonify’s unlicensed pot still unknown but companies working on ways to track cannabis
Draw for Ontario cannabis licence lottery expected today, with results within 24 hours
Health Care
The big questions Doug Ford will have to answer in 2019
‘I thought we were in a third world country’: Ontario emergency room wait times spike
How using your Ontario health card creates system change
Professional Misconduct and Compliance
Ontario psychiatrist sexually abused patient by initiating affair: college
Ministry reports multiple non-compliance issues at Brucelea Haven in Walkerton
Families sue care homes, alleging neglect contributed to death of loved ones
Privacy
Case of mistaken Red Cross donor mail raises privacy concern
What’s happening in our city this weekend:
Things to do this weekend in Toronto