Injured skier will see majority of medical expenses recouped
Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 21/01) - A Yellowknife man's two-week stay at a Montreal hospital is covered by his Northwest Territories health plan, said GNWT chief medical officer Dr. Andre Corriveau.
Peter Austin, 50, crushed a vertebrae in his lower back during a ski accident outside Montreal on March 3.
The absence of a reciprocal billing agreement between the NWT health department and Quebec originally led Austin to believe he may be left with the bill.
Not so, said Corriveau.
Quebec physicians may directly bill an out-of-province patient. The patient is still entitled to reimbursement under the Canada Health Act, Corriveau said.
"You're still covered. When you come back you just bring your bills back and we're going to pay them," Corriveau said.
Austin was recovering from back surgery when Quebec hospital officials asked him to pay up and head out at his own expense last week. What the Quebec hospital staff failed to say -- or what Austin may not have heard -- is that the GNWT would reimburse the majority of his medical expenses, excluding ambulance and travel costs home, upon his return to Yellowknife.
Austin was discharged without a bill last week -- suggesting the GNWT may be billed directly, Corriveau said. The costs, which include a $500 per day room, back surgery and back brace, could be between $10,000- $15,000.
The confusion was compounded when Austin's wife, Annette Martin-Hart, called the Inuvik regional health office and was left with the impression the entire bill was their responsibility.
"Sometimes when people are very upset they don't necessarily hear what's being said. They may have heard they'd have to pay but didn't hear the part about bringing the bills back," Corriveau said.
Austin was flown part way home at the government's expense this week -- a move appreciated by Austin and his family.
However, the flight is an exception, rather than a rule, Corriveau said.
"If you're on holidays and you're sick (in Canada), we're not responsible for bringing you back. That's why travel agents offer travel insurance," Corriveau said.
A Yellowknife travel agent said $21 of voyageur travel insurance would ensure a person injured in Quebec while on a one week vacation would be flown home.
Canadian North flew Martin-Hart to pick up Austin in Edmonton and paid for Austin's trip back to Yellowknife from Edmonton.
Austin has several months of rehabilitation ahead of him.
