SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Department of Health and Social Services will be making changes to its supplementary health care plan and has told members of an advisory committee it is considering implementing a premium or insurance fee to cover the cost of extended health care - costs not covered by employer benefits or the Canada Health Act.

David Wind, who represents the Yellowknife Seniors' Society on a stakeholders group, said representatives from the department told the group at a meeting on Feb. 19 that it wants to provide the same type of coverage to non-aboriginal Northerners that is available to aboriginal Northerners through Health Canada and Metis Northerners through the GNWT.

"We had some discussions on the changes they felt they had to make in order to address some gaps," said Wind.

He said the department indicated more money is needed to bridge the disparity and one of the options is charging people a fee for coverage.

"It all boils down to money ... it's going to cost the department more money so where does the money come from? It looks, from the discussions we had (Friday) afternoon, the department might be considering an insurance type of program to provide for these additional benefits. Everyone would be asked to pay an insurance fee," he said.

Wind said he thought seniors would perceive equality of benefits positively, but the added cost might become an issue.

"On the one hand it's a step forward ... but everyone is going to be reluctant of course to accept an insurance premium," he said.

He said the department indicated they would look into providing assistance for people who would have difficulty paying. Wind said because there is already money in the budget for the supplementary health care budget, the fee would cover the cost of adding more coverage.

"What that fee turns out to be the department still has to figure out," he said.

Last winter, proposed changes to supplementary benefits ended in calls for the minister's resignation.

The department encountered a firestorm of controversy when it proposed changing the plan which would have caused many seniors to lose their extended health care coverage for things like prescriptions and eyeglasses. Health Minister Sandy Lee backtracked two months after announcing the proposed changes and said the department set the threshold bar for household incomes too low.

This time around, the department plans to consult with the public and has met with the stakeholders group - composed of interested organizations from around the territory - three times since the fall.

Paddy Meade, deputy minister of Health and Social Services, said the department plans to implement a new program by Sept. 1, 2010.

At a press conference Friday in Yellowknife, the department announced they would be holding public consultation meetings between March 24 and April 6 in Inuvik, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River and Yellowknife. People can also fill out a questionnaire online on the department's website.

Meade said supplementary benefits are intended to be an addition to people's insurance plans.

"The role of government is to be a safety net. They are sort of taking the place in people's minds as being a full insurance company and this is about a top-up. If you couldn't get third party insurance because of an existing condition or something like that, the government is obviously the next step. But it's more about seeing a balance of insurance ... and having a safety net for those without insurance."

The department has planned an online survey that asks people to weigh in on what type of transition there would be if coverage changed. It asks if people support grandfathering benefits, and if so, for how long.

Wind said people may be accepting of changes to the plan if there is a perception that "everyone has to pick up a bit of the load so everyone gets a better program overall."

"If the department has a good case to make and if they do a good job of presenting this to people ... I think that bodes well for a successful consultations. But judging by their last effort, the department is going to have to do a better job of consulting," said Wind.