Health and medical benefit claims for RCMP members are expected to exceed $1.1 billion this year, prompting concerns from senators and senior Mounties about the long-term sustainability of the force’s disability and benefits programs.Blacklock's Reporter says the RCMP disclosed the figures in testimony before the Senate national finance committee, where officials also revealed that the rate of active regular members on long-term off-duty sick leave has risen by 128% over the past decade.“The RCMP is not alone in experiencing rising sick leave,” the force wrote in a submission to the committee. “Multiple Canadian studies indicate rising levels of long-term sick leave among first responders.”The RCMP’s total budget for the current fiscal year is $6.3 billion. The force employs 19,047 regular members and approximately 12,000 civilian staff. Health and medical benefits alone are projected to cost $1.129 billion.During an April 21 hearing, RCMP chief financial officer Samantha Hazen acknowledged the growing financial pressure created by the benefits program.“In regard to the number of officers who are off duty sick, I don’t have specifics around the number of members who are receiving disability benefits,” Hazen told senators. “I know that number is upwards of 50% of our active force who are receiving that benefit.”She added that the RCMP recognizes the need to examine the program’s long-term viability as costs continue to climb.“We do acknowledge the long-term sustainability of this benefit program is one that really needs to be assessed due to the rising costs associated with it,” said Hazen.Sen. Sandra Pupatello questioned the scale of the spending.“Did you say 50% of the active force?” she asked.“I don’t understand that figure.”.Hazen later clarified that the benefits figures include both active and retired RCMP members receiving a range of benefits beyond pensions.“The benefits paid to members are available to active members as well as members who are retired from the RCMP,” she said.When Pupatello asked whether that included all categories of benefits, Hazen replied, “Yes, correct.”“There are different benefits in addition to the monthly pension benefit,” said Hazen. “There are also benefits in regard to health and medication.”Pupatello warned that rising rates of illness and disability could undermine recruitment efforts.“If that continues, it will not matter how many people you recruit,” she said. “It will not matter if you keep losing so many members to sick leave.”Senators also heard concerns about the RCMP’s limited ability to monitor disability claims because health-related benefits are administered by Veterans Affairs Canada.According to Hazen, the arrangement restricts the force’s access to information about members receiving benefits.“Our ability to manage service-related disabilities is a challenge for us due to the lack of information sharing,” she said.“The Department of Veterans Affairs is the one that administers these benefits. They adjudicate the applications as well as make the payments. The RCMP does not have explicit authority to receive the personal information of those members who are receiving the benefits.”Hazen said the force is pushing for greater information-sharing with Veterans Affairs in hopes of improving oversight and management of the program.“This is something we have been actively working on, trying to advocate, to have more access to information sharing,” she said. “We hope with that we will be able to make some changes to the program.”
