Private clinics charge thousands in extra fees for OHIP-covered surgery: Ontario Health Coalition

The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is taking aim at the province's plan to expand the number of publicly-funded surgeries at private clinics, saying the experiences of two Londoners who were charged thousands for cataract surgeries is emblematic of the dangers that come with for-profit healthcare. 

Their stories are among hundreds the OHC says it has received in recent years from Ontario residents who reported being charged hundreds or thousands of dollars of their own money for procedures covered by OHIP, despite such practice being barred under federal and provincial law. 

Most of the people affected are seniors on fixed incomes, and a vast majority of complaints involve for-profit clinics charging for cataract surgeries, according to an OHC report released Tuesday.

"They're the ones that are poaching patients out of a wait list in the public sector, telling them they'll get their eye care taken care of much quicker," said Peter Bergmanis, co-chair of the London Health Coalition.

"If they only waited a few months, they would actually get the best of care without any extra cost to them or the public."

During Tuesday's news conference, Bergmanis highlighted the experiences of Maureen Munro, a local senior, and Mike Suta, whose wife Debbie underwent cataract surgery. 

Munro was facing the spectre of macular degeneration when she was referred to an eye surgeon by her optometrist, who told her waiting for cataract surgery at a hospital would take at least two years. Getting the procedure at the private clinic, she was told, would be faster and cost $3,000.

"I live alone. I'm an old senior. My late husband had macular degeneration, and his quality of life was zilch," she said. "I wondered how many years did I have left?"

Munro said the procedure was completed at the private clinic in a matter of weeks, and learned upon leaving that her bill was closer to $7,000 — $3,000 for each eye plus additional charges, forcing her to take out a loan.

OHC said there have been incidents where patients were told they had to pay for OHIP-covered surgeries, or told that if they didn't, they would face a lengthy wait for a hospital procedure.

Patients also reported being charged for cataract surgery add-ons they didn't need, like extra eye measurements and tests, the OHC report said claimed were "safer or better" than OHIP-covered services.

OHC noted the patients were also denied access to surgery if they declined to pay out-of-pocket for them, the report says.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones has stated previously Ontarians would never have to pay out-of-pocket for OHIP-insured services with the private clinics.

In a statement, Jones's spokesperson, Hannah Jensen, described OHC as an "out-of-touch, NDP-backed special interest group."