Working together to save public health care in Ontario

Undocumented folks include migrant workers, visitors, refugees, or visa students. Some adults who came as children have no idea that they are undocumented. All deserve publicly funded health care.

HealthcareForAllNow paid a visit to the offices of Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones on May 9^th. They delivered a petition signed by over 4,800 health care providers, frontline workers and community members demanding Ford reverse cuts to health care coverage for uninsured people.

Data from 2016 estimated that over 500,000 undocumented workers live in Ontario. They work in agriculture, long term care, child care, hospitals, warehouses, grocery stores, and deliver food.

Migrant workers pay employment insurance (EI), but in most cases are unable to access EI and because they are undocumented, they’re unable to access social safety nets including publicly funded health care.   

Other undocumented folks may have come as visitors, refugees, or on student visas. Some adults who came as children have no idea that they are undocumented.

In many cases, these folks came because of the promise of work or sponsorship and instead experienced exploitation, abuse and sponsorship breakdown.

Three years ago, the Ford government directed hospitals to provide medically necessary care to folks without OHIP coverage – due to the onset of the pandemic. The provincial government picked up the tab.

In March, Health Network for Uninsured Clients released a report, The Bridge to Universal Healthcare, that proved unconditionally funding health care for everyone living and working in Ontario improved heath outcomes and minimized health care related costs for individuals. The advocacy group called on the Ford government to make the temporary program permanent.

Instead, the Ford government cut OHIP coverage for uninsured individuals on April 1st. Health care providers and frontline workers are once again seeing people being refused care due to their inability to pay. This is causing insurmountable pain, suffering and in many cases, unnecessary deaths.

The report included the experiences of uninsured people who were unable to access necessary health care for many reasons, but mainly due to a lack of money prior to the temporary OHIP amnesty.

A midwife recounted the experience of a high-risk pregnant client who was turned away from three hospitals when seeking surgery to deal with a missed miscarriage.

That delay led to life-threatening hemorrhaging that started while the client was riding public transit. She was found by the side of the road in critical condition and almost died.

A client care coordinator shared the story of an uninsured construction worker who needed heart surgery. While the hospitals involved argued over who was going to provide care, her client lost the use of his right leg and the right side of his body became paralyzed.

Unable to work, he lost his housing and ended up the shelter system. That led to substance use which further deteriorated his health.

The coordinator maintained that had that worker been covered by OHIP he would most likely have had the surgery within a week and avoided the destruction of his life.

Health care providers are calling on the Ontario government to reverse the cuts and implement a permanent program ensuring health care for all people living in the province.

"As a physician, my duty is to provide care and promote the well-being of all my patients, regardless of their background or immigration status. It is deeply concerning to see these cuts as it contradicts our fundamental responsibility to protect the health of our communities. We urge the government to reverse these unjust cuts and restore healthcare access to those in need." said Dr. Jessica Chan, a family physician and one of the healthcare providers who delivered the petitions. 

This week, Decent Work and Health Network (DWHN) also took a stand for public health care and better patient care. Health workers put up posters and signed folks up in front of St. Michael’s hospital to demand health care for all, status for all, and decent work for all!

DWHN formed after Health Providers Against Poverty collaborated with with Fight for $15 and Fairness.

One year ago, DWHN released Prescription for a Healthy Pandemic Recovery: Decent Work for All. The evidence-based report built on interviews with frontline health care workers, incorporated medical and public health evidence gathered before and during the pandemic. The impressive paper called for improved wages and hours, paid sick days, and workplace protections.

It also called on the Ford government to establish a minimum wage floor of $20 per hour; ensure equal pay for equal work; promote full-time and permanent jobs; provide ten paid sick days annually with another 14 paid sick days during a pandemic; status for all; just cause protection from wrongful dismissal; an end to misclassification of Gig workers, and access for all to a union.

Check out their list of events and be sure to join your local Enough Is Enough day of action from noon to 2 pm. on Saturday June 3^rd.

That’s when health workers will be joining forces with workers across Ontario to demand Health care for all! Status for all! And, Decent Work for all!

In the meantime, Ontario Health Coalition is holding a citizens’ referendum throughout May. Ontarians, 16-years of age and over, are being asked to vote on the privatization of hospital services.

The goal is to collect 1 million votes against privatizing hospital services. The results will be delivered to Doug Ford so he understands, Ontarians value publicly funded health care for everyone.

In-person voting is being held on May 26^th and 27^th, but you can vote online right now, right here.

#Health4AllNow  #Justice4Workers  #EnoughIsEnoughON  #PaidSickDays  #LiftingEveryoneUp