Babies deserve health coverage
- Details
- Published on Monday, 17 October 2016 18:45
- Written by editor
Dear Paov --
Right now some BC babies can’t get public health coverage even though they’re eligible for it. [1]
If a baby is born in Canada, they are legally entitled to public health coverage. But a recent bureaucratic change has made it impossible for some families to register their children for BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP).
Imagine how scary it would be to have a sick baby and no easy way to get care.
B.C. is the only province we know of where a child’s health coverage application is linked to their parent’s MSP number. Prior to 2012, an infant’s application was not tied to their parents’ MSP number, so parents with precarious immigration status could register their Canadian-born dependents just like everybody else.
If babies without MSP get sick, their families can find it challenging and expensive to access health care. In addition, if they’re asked to provide residence information, the family may risk deportation.
Hospital fees, barriers to access, and deportation are the last things anyone should have to worry about when their baby urgently needs care.
Many thanks,
Sanctuary Health and the BC Health Coalition
[1] BC MSP eligibility criteria
British Columbia Health Coalition · 3102 Main St, 302,
Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
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