OTTAWA — The Carney government has quietly rolled back part of its refugee health-care cuts, restoring full coverage for several medical services that had been subject to co-payments since May.The change was not publicly announced. Instead, health-care providers were notified through Medavie Blue Cross, which administers the Interim Federal Health Program.Coverage has been restored for a range of services, including respiratory equipment, feeding supplies, implantable hearing devices, nursing home care and hospital rehabilitation.The decision reverses part of a cost-sharing policy introduced May 1, when Ottawa began requiring eligible refugees and asylum claimants to pay a $4 co-payment on prescription drugs and 30% of the cost of most supplemental health benefits.At the time, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the new fees would help "manage increasing costs while continuing to provide access to essential health-care services."Core medical care was left untouched. Doctor visits and hospital services remain "100% covered," according to the department..The latest change does not eliminate all co-payments. Refugees and asylum claimants will still pay the $4 prescription fee along with 30% of the cost of many supplemental services, including dental care, vision care, mental health counselling and some assistive devices.The Interim Federal Health Program provides temporary health coverage for refugees, asylum claimants and certain other protected persons until they qualify for provincial or territorial health insurance.The federal government has yet to publicly explain why it restored the additional coverage.
