Debates of March 30th, 1993

This is page numbers 1259 - 1298 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
NWT Power Corporation
The Month Of April Is Cancer Month
Cbc News Report - March 30, 1993
Day Care Centre For Lake Harbour
Minister Of Personnel's Comments Re Home Owners' Property Tax Rebate
Cbc News Report - March 30, 1993
Concerns Re Department Of Health
Conference On Family Violence In Fort Simpson
Workers' Compensation For Traditional Harvesters
Keewatin Chamber Of Commerce Annual General Meeting
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Memorandum Of Understanding Re Coverage For Traditional Harvesters
Legislative Review Of Health Related Acts
Status Of Mou Negotiation Between Health Boards And Department Of Health
Powers To Be Devolved To Health Boards
Water Reservoir Pipes Freezing In Resolute Bay
Rural And Remote Programs
Compensation For Trappers For Lost Revenues
Status Of Family Law Review Working Group
Proposed Child Day Care Policy
Scof Recommendations On Key Result Indicators
Evaluation Of NWT Aids Project Review
Environmental Impact Study Results
Application Of Non-smoking Policy In Ministers' Offices
Motion To Clarify Roles Of Dm Of Finance And Comptroller General
Transfer Of Chr Program Funds And Pys To Band Councils
Tabling Of Expo 1992 Internal Audit
Eligibility Of NWT Residents For Alaskan Land Claims
Maca Inspection Report Of The Town Of Iqaluit
Status Of Tobacco Information Officer Position
Lead Department On Family Law Review Issue
Item 12: Tabling Of Documents
Convening Of The Fourth Session Of The 12th Legislature
To Refer Partnership Act To The Standing Committee On Legislation
Convening Of The Fourth Session Of The 12th Legislature
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Bill 17: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1993-94
To Adopt Clause 3 Of Bill 17, As Amended
Be Adopted By Substituting Amended Schedule
Bill 23: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1992-93
Bill 20: Loan Authorization Act, 1993-94
Item 19: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 21: Orders Of The Day

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

With regard to home visits by physicians and nurses, do you have any kind of policy or guidelines with regard to that? I have been experiencing quite a bit of difficulty in that area and many residents in Fort Providence are experiencing that difficulty. The difficulty is that there are situations in which a person cannot get up or for some reason cannot make it to the nursing station, but are still required to go there regardless of their condition. Time and time again I

have run into that type of situation and I do not seem to be making any headway. That is only one problem.

The other problem is that most nursing stations have vehicles. Even for patients going out of the community, the nurses do not make any effort to take patients to the airport. People have to find their own ride whether it is for them going out or coming back in, they are left at the airport and that is it. What are the rules? I want to be clear that when the nurses are doing those kinds of things, I have a way of dealing with it. I do not want to be told that it is our policy when, perhaps, it is not.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Madam Minister.

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are home visits in the communities where there are home care programs. Concerning the patients receiving a ride to the airport, I know if there is no other transportation arrangement made, sometimes it is arranged through the hamlet council with their vehicle. So, there are some efforts made within the community for transportation within the local government. That is usually the practise in the east in the communities which I know. Thank you.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

I just told you what the practice was in the west.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Madam Minister.

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will have the department look into that and get back to the Member. Thank you.

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The Chair John Ningark

Qujannamiik. Territorial hospital insurance services. Operations and Maintenance, $115.268 million. Agreed?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Medical Care Plan

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Medical care plan. Operations and maintenance, $17.917 million. Agreed? Mr. Whitford.

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the services rendered in other countries, is there an amount which can be put forward as to how much this costs the territorial government?

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Madam Minister.

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will let Dr. Kinloch respond to that.

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The Chair John Ningark

Dr. Kinloch.

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Dr. Kinloch

Mr. Chairman, there is a small amount of money which has been paid out for care out of the country in the past. However, restrictions have been placed on coverage out of the country. Individuals travelling outside of Canada are

strongly urged to seek supplementary private insurance coverage in order to not possibly facing high medical bills.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Whitford.

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In dealing with out of country, does that include the United States? Yes, thank you. Are there situations where we have patients who are sent out of the country intentionally for medical treatment?

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Do you mean specialized care? Madam Minister.

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we do, with prior approval.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Medical care plan, operations and maintenance, total O and M, $17 million. Mr. Whitford.

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to continue with this line of questioning. Quite a few people travel abroad and outside of Canada. I am not sure if they understand whether they are covered or not. I recognize the fact that people must be cognizant of their own welfare, especially those travelling for recreational purposes. Somehow or another there is the odd one which will fall through the hoops, and we could have a situation on our hands as we did a few years ago, where a person was in Africa and came down with an illness and it costs this government quite a bit of money to see that person safely home. To avoid anything like this, it is difficult to tell a person who is laid up somewhere that they are on their own. Is there a way which we can advise the public, through a letter or notice? Under the THIS we have to renew our green cards annually. Is there a notice which could be placed in there stating this is only valid, in red letters, so the message gets home to the individual rather than having a situation on our hands somewhere down the line? Is there a way that we can, or are we doing that already?

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Madam Minister.

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The travel agents are asked to advise their clients about buying out of country insurance.

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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Medical care plan. Mr. Whitford.

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

I am not sure what the travel agents do. In the Department of Health, under whom people naturally assume they are being cared for, because in the territories it is a little different than in the provinces, everyone receives a health care card and when you go to the hospital you show the card and that is it. Travel agents are in the business to make money and one may assume they are just trying to sell you extra insurance as they do for automobiles. I am wondering if the department, as a precaution, indicates in the medical literature, which goes out with the little card, that this is only valid within Canada, and that there is no agreement abroad, in order to protect the department. Does the department do anything?