Accessing Health Care What advice, if any, would you provide a refugee who overhears you say that you are a health care professional and proceeds to ask you how can she go about accessing health care for herself and her family). Canadians take great pride in their compassion and fairness. Regarding refugees, Canada has two major efforts. The Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program is for people seeking protection from outside of Canada, and the In-Canada Asylum Program for people seeking protection from within Canada. For the Resettlement Program, Canada works closely with the international community, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and these individuals and families are carefully screened for issues related to health, criminality, or health. For the In-Canada Program, refugees come to Canada and then make their claims. Although numbers vary, in 2015 almost 17,000 people filed refugee claims and over 13,600 people were authorized (over 80%). Refugees differ from immigrants in that immigrants choose to attain Canadian residency while refugees are force to leave their country of origin, often due to severe hardship or threat of persecution and/or violence. To be eligible for health care under Canada’s health care system, the individual and their family must be recognized (accepted) as refugees or have applied for refugee status. While a determination is being evaluated, applicants are considered refugee claimants. If the person asking questions has not already applied for refugee status with government, they should be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Their website (www.ir-cisr.gc.ca) has information and relevant forms. The person should be told, however, that even without a health card, emergency medical care will be provided. Because of political issues, particularly surrounding an expected influx of Syrian refugees, benefits under IFHP had been curtailed, partially reinstated by the courts, and partially covered by interim rules to comply with court mandates. This is compounded by differences in the provincial and territorial ministries of health. If the refugee is not yet become eligible for provincial, territorial, or private health care, they should be referred to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) where they can receive temporary health insurance until they and their family do become eligible. The IFHP can provide the most complete and current information available. They can also be directed to their regional ministries of health. Contact information for territory or province ministers can be found on the Canadian government website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-health.asp. Principles of Canada Health Act Identify a current health care issue Friends of Medicare in Canada have raised. Using your knowledge of the Canada Health Act, discuss if you would support or not support Friends of Medicare on the issue and explain how their concerns relate to one or more principles of the Canada Health Act. Issue: Paid Blood Plasma Donations Friends of Medicare is a coalition that raises public awareness on issues related to Medicare in Canada. In September, the Friends of Medicare published an article in support of a petition presented by SumOfUs to “implement legislation that ensures no for-profit, donor-aid blood plasma collection clinics are allowed to operate in Canada.” The petition, with 15,000 signatures was presented to Sara Hoffman, the Alberta Minister of Health. Opponents of paid donations of plasma cite three primary concerns: 1. Safety issues of volunteer versus paid donations 2. Depleting the voluntary donor pool by paying for donations 3. Exploiting low-income Canadians As discussed below, these concerns are unfounded or exaggerated. More important, the risks are minimal compared