Lisa MacLeod, MPP (Nepean-Carleton) brought forward a Private Members’ Motion on October 20th, to address the funding gap for patients in exceptional circumstances through the consideration of a compassionate catastrophic care fund. She tabled the motion regarding a Catastrophic and Compassionate Care fund on October 20, 2016, followed by a media conference in the media studio at Queen’s Park, where she was joined by PC Health Critic Jeff Yurek and MPP Michael Harris, who tabled a bill on rare disease treatment.
The motion reads:
“That, in the opinion of this House, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOLTC) appoints an advisory committee to review jurisdictions where a process is in place to consider lifesaving experimental and high cost healthcare treatments and otherwise exceptional circumstances for patients. The MOHLTC advisory committee should consider Australia’s Special Access Scheme; New Zealand’s Exceptional Circumstances Framework and High Cost Treatment Pool and the UK’s National Health Service’s Experimental and Unproven Treatments Policy with the view to establish a compassionate catastrophic care program in Ontario for those suffering from rare disease or whose treatments may be experimental or complimentary but are not yet covered by Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP).”
The motion was supported by the Canadian Association for Rare Disorders as well as the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, with CCSN President and CEO stating, I fully support MPP Lisa MacLeod in her motion to create a Compassionate and Catastrophic Care Fund. No Ontarian should have to have financial concerns when they are seriously ill or worry about fundraising to pay for their healthcare. I truly hope this motion passes today.”
And indeed, the Catastrophic and Compassionate Care fund motion passed with all-party support.