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COPD Canada's Letter Writing Campaigns
One of the things we at COPD Canada undertake is to write letters (as a collective voice) to agencies and Government officials. Below is a summary of a few of those campaigns and the results:
Federal Election (Fall 2008) -
You really DON'T want to know..
Members wrote to the various parties, specifically addressing COPD and what their plans were to address this 4th leading killer in Canada...
The BEST Response...goes to
Diana Cabott, Liberal Party Candidate, Kelowna Lake Country (Kelowna BC)
WORST (actually a tie...
Stephen Haprper (PM of Canada) who supplied "canned responses; not much different than a couple of years ago ) and The Canadian Action
Party.
MOST Responses goes to
the NDP.... with "generic" responses including one
which they must have assumed it was to the Lung Association. It too however was
generic. They did however, in all fairness, send a "post" election letter
to one of our members though not a "pre" election letter to this same member.
The College of Physicians & Surgeons of 10
provinces
We wrote to each; asking them to encourage/urge their membership to become more aware of "recognizing" and "testing" for COPD by utilizing Spirometry and to further urge their members learn more about this disease and the management of same. More particularly the front liners....our family Dr's.
Of the 10 we contacted; only 4 have
responded to date.
British Columbia; Alberta and 2 letters from Manitoba
Letters
Written to Tony Clement (Health Minister for Canada) re: COPD as a
National Crisis
Replies 1
Letters Written to the Prime
Minister of Canada: Stephen Harper
We received 3 identical "form letters"
from his Aide w/o substance
The
Ministers of Health - Each Province
Our latest round was to the Ministers of Health (each province) asking several things. 1) Does your province cover the costs of lung transplants 2) Do you cover the cost of travel to a facility that performs same 3) Do you cover the cost of meds; more specifically on-going anti-rejection meds.
(Please understand that at times it's difficult to "decipher" what Govt bureaucrats are actually saying; we have interpreted as best we can.)
NOTE: ALWAYS check with your provincial Dept's of Health/provincial medical plans. Do not assume the accuracy below; we cannot and do not guarantee it. This is intended as general info only.
Alberta: Lung Transplants & LVRS is an insured service available to all qualifying Albertans under the AHCIP at no cost to the patient. Travel expenses are not covered. Anti-rejection meds are covered (though regular prescription drugs are not covered)
Manitoba - responded with a very brief polite letter but did NOT address our questions. (Perhaps they feel it isn't important enough)
Saskatchewan - Transplants are covered; travel expenses are not covered. Certain anti rejection meds are covered/fall under the Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Plan. For additional coverage info you can contact the Drug Plan at 306-787-3317
Ontario - LVRS & Lung Transplants are cover by OHIP. . Travel costs are not covered though grants are available to assist the residents of the Northern part of the Province. Anti rejection meds. 'People may be eligible for drug coverage under the Ministry's drug programs (the Ontario Drug Benefit) ODB and (Trillium Drug Programs) TDP.
For info on ODB coverage - 866-811-9893 TDP 800-575-5386
ODB & TDP covers some anti rejection meds.
Quebec - Supplied several links
Nova Scotia - Transplants are covered (done in Ontario). Travel is NOT covered. 4 anti rejection meds are covered as well as oxygen (if you're on some form of social assistance )
British Columbia - was very confusing and with each question they ultimately referred us to websites.
Re: Lung Transplants http://www.transplant.bc.ca/pre_lung.htm
Travel Assistance http://www.hlth.gov.bc.ca/msp/mtapp/index.html
Oxygen Therapy - (the responsibility of the individual health authorities - not the Ministry) http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/scosec.index.html
No mention of anti rejection meds
As of July 12/07 - no responses were
received from the Minister's of Health for the other provinces.
| If you are a lung transplant recipient and if you have something you would like to share with others, please let us know. If you are a Government official and you have something you might like to add, please contact us.. We're always willing to listen. |
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ACROSS CANADA |
| Canada and Our Medical System |
| Ntl. Report Card |
| Your Province? |
| Govt. Contacts by Province |
| Form Letters You Can Use |
| Previous Letter Writing Campaigns -How It Went |
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ASK THE RT |
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USEFUL LINKS |
| COPD in Canada Message Board/Forum |
| Live Chat |
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Changes/Additions Posted Nov 17/08
Changes/Additions Posted Nov 9/08
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Changes/Additions Posted Nov 3/08
Contribution From Kellogg's for the Nov. 19th.. "Lungevity WALK"
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