“I have my visits covered by OHIP and during my last visit, my prescription had changed so much I was dangerously close to having my driver's license removed on site. Smith and Hazan believe public support for the situation facing optometrists is strong, but not all patients are pleased they cannot make appointments. Most patients are instead being directed to see their regular physician, go to hospital emergency departments, urgent care clinics, or see ophthalmologists who have received referrals from optometrists. Patients normally covered by OHIP for optometry services in Ontario are not permitted to go to an optometrist and pay for an appointment that would normally be covered by the provincial insurance system. “What we’re asking for is rooted in evidence,” he said. He said if the government increased funding to cover the $80 average, it would still only be 0.4% of the health budget. Smith said Ontario’s health budget is approximately $70 billion and eye care is 0.2% of that budget. Hazan said he does not want to end up restricting the number of senior patients he sees. Glaucoma patients often require numerous appointments per year, but OHIP does not differentiate the billing between patients with glaucoma and those who require glasses. Smith and Hazan said other provinces allow optometrists to bill variably, depending on the nature of the patient’s situation. Smith said the average of $80 was found in a study by BDO which confidentially reviewed the financial statements of 75 optometry practices representing 300 optometrists across Ontario.Īccording to Smith, 80-90% of optometry patients covered by OHIP are in rural areas and small towns. He said the average cost of an eye examination in Ontario is closer to $80 these days and added optometrists also have expenses from operating their practices and paying employees. Joshua Smith, an optometrist in Alexandria and former president of the provincial association. “It comes down to what the government funds for services,” said Dr. Hazan said he has always had a keen interest in ensuring the elderly receive the best eye care available. He said technologies and techniques have advanced, which means the cost of providing modern services to patients has also increased. “Optometry isn’t the same as 30 years ago,” said Hawkesbury optometrist, Dr. Nearby in Quebec, the provincial government pays optometrists $107 per senior’s eye examination. According to the Ontario Association of Optometrists, the average amount an optometrist in Ontario receives in return for publicly insured services is $44.65 per eye examination. The amounts Ontario optometrists may bill for children’s eye examinations, or for people receiving eye care through the Ontario Disability Support Program, or welfare varies. The government there pays optometrists $137 per senior’s examination. Alberta’s amount is the highest in Canada. Individuals not covered by OHIP must pay for eye care or use private insurance.Īn optometrist in Ontario may bill no more than $47 per senior citizen’s eye examination, which is the lowest amount in Canada. Meanwhile, some patients are seeing red because they cannot make an appointment with their optometrist.Įyecare in Ontario is insured by OHIP until age 20 and for age 65 and older. Ontario’s optometrists hope the provincial government has the vision to increase their pay for seeing patients covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), the public health insurance system for the province. 1, optometrists across Ontario have been refusing to see children and senior citizens because they say they're not getting enough reimbursements.
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