No, to access the Indigent Health Benefits Program, you do not have to be on income support. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 22nd, 2001
This is page numbers 1163 - 1196 of the Hansard for the 14th 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 water.
Topics
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Bell.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Minister for that information and urge her department if they are looking into this, then I am happy to hear that. There are more people than you would think, with the diversification of our economy, who no longer work for the territorial government and who do work for smaller businesses around the North, who are not eligible for NIHB or the Metis health benefit. I hope you will take a look at this. The $250 co-payment might not seem onerous, but when you consider possibly no room at the boarding home at Larga and a few years to diagnose certain diseases, it can add up. I thank the Minister for looking into that.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you, Mr. Bell. Health insurance programs, budget summary. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the area of physicians' programs, from the main estimates of 2000-2001, there is $16 million to the revised mains of $19.9 million, and $19.8 million proposed for these. I see in the detail provided that other expenses of another $3 million is added. What would those other expenses be used for?
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is for the $2.8 million for stabilizing physicians who operate from Yellowknife. Also, the increased administrative costs to coordinate and manage the four clinics. Thank you.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Overall, that was just a reshuffling from within in that area or is that an actual growth item? Thank you.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Madam Minister.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, that was a draw-down on the CHST, Canada Health and Social Transfer, trust.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. How long will we be able to do that? Is that an indefinite program that we can draw down? When does it become part of the base instead of being other expenses? What is different about other expenses compared to the physicians' programs?
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. St. Germaine.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
St. Germaine
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The residual of the CHST trust that was not drawn down in the last fiscal year was approximately one million dollars. The intent would be that would be drawn down this year, so the full impact of the incremental costs would be borne by the GNWT in 2002-2003. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is news that is good to hear, because we know we will have to do some...there will be some challenges facing the department in the next fiscal year or the year after that if we are drawing down the final portion of that and it is not an ongoing item.
Another part of the question is under physician services, why would it be classified as other expenses of $3,072,000 in the additional information provided?
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. St. Germaine.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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St. Germaine
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A portion of that $2.4 million relates to fee-for-service physicians, for physicians pay who are practicing outside the Territories providing services to NWT residents receiving services outside the Territories. There is additional fee-for-service physicians still in the Northwest Territories that we pay under other expenses of approximately $461,000. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Why would the $2.4 million figure not fall under the out-of-Territories category?
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. St. Germaine.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
St. Germaine
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The out-of-Territories is for hospital services as opposed to physician services. This item covers physician services. Thank you.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1193
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is there a plan being put together to try to deal with the impact of no longer being able to draw down on the CHST for this additional almost $3 million a year? Or at some point do we figure this to level out? I know when the discussion was to take over some of the clinics and bring doctors on as staff instead of fee-for-service, that the initial year there would be a bump because it would work itself out between the billings that were going on and the wages that would be paid. Is there a balance at some point where it comes together and there is a savings at the end of the day? Thank you.