On 31 March 2009, the Financial Services Commission (FSCO) released its "Five Year Review of Automobile Insurance" to the Minister of Finance. The report provides a number of recommendations which will greatly impact access to assessment and treatment for car accident victims, and have far-reaching implications affecting Ontario taxpayers.
For example, FSCO recommends reducing the cap for medical and rehabilitation benefits from $100,000 to $25,000. Unless injuries are mild, $25,000 in insufficient to ensure injured people are returned to pre-accident levels of functioning.
Specialized rehabilitation is not available under OHIP, and those who cannot afford to pay for private treatment, rehabilitation, and attendant care services may never live independently or return to work. Those who cannot be cared for at home will be placed on waiting lists for long-term care placement or nursing homes, or take up hospital beds in the interim.
With the loss in income, and out-of-pocket expenses for treatment or homecare, families will face significant financial strain. Bankruptcies will rise, homes will be lost to foreclosure, and applications for social assistance (e. g., Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, subsidized housing) will increase.
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Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario
Email welfarelegal2004(at)hotmail(dot)com welfarelegal2004@hotmail.com
Blog http://welfarelegal.blogspot.com/
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2 comments:
I am wondering what the personal injury bar thinks of this. I know that I find many people requiring significant resources to recover from motor vehicle accidents, and enforcing a #25,000 cut off is going to lead to problems, as identified in your article.
Advocate
If you ever find out please let us know.
Did this hit the main media?
Ron
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