Other programs can help uninsured, Ontario health minister says as coverage to end

Ontario’s health minister says the province will not reverse course on cutting a program that provides care for people without health insurance.

Sylvia Jones says uninsured people can still receive health care through other programs after the Physician and Hospital Services for Uninsured Persons Program ends this Friday.

The province informed doctors of the change last Friday, which prompted an outcry from physicians.

The Ontario Medical Association has said the changes will be detrimental to those who do not have health coverage.

The association has said those who are uninsured include people who are homeless, those facing language barriers or mobility issues, many newcomers, foreign workers and international students.

Jones says hospitals cannot refuse care to a patient who has a life-threatening emergency and says there are community-based programs to help those without a health card get primary care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2023.