(Feb 16, 2022)<\/p>\n
By: Pat Taney, Toronto City News<\/p>\n
You may have heard the news last week, people with disabilities who can\u2019t get a drivers license are no longer required to renew their OHIP cards in person. But another group of people say they aren\u2019t being given the same leniency. Mainly those who fall into one specific age group.<\/p>\n
When it comes to OHIP card renewals, most of his can do it online. But 75-year-old Bill Mack \u2014 who recently had a stroke, cannot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no choice, do I?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nope. He doesn\u2019t. Anyone, without a medical exemption, between the ages of 75 and 80 still must physically walk into a Service Ontario to renew their cards.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, I just think it\u2019s unjustifiable at this time. It\u2019s actually dangerous,\u201d said Natalie Mehra , the Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving people in that age group to go and stand in line at Service Ontario and wait for their health care renewal doesn\u2019t make any sense,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For Mehra, COVID exposure is a main concern. While the Ministry of Health recently delayed renewal requirements for anyone until September, Mehra says that\u2019s not enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of them will not get word that they don\u2019t have to renew until September and will unnecessarily go out into a public area where they\u2019re at risk of catching Omicron and potentially getting very sick or dying.\u201d<\/p>\n
But even if COVID wasn\u2019t a concern, Mehra says this policy is still wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome people in this population may have mobility issues,\u201d she said. \u201cIt just doesn\u2019t make any sense. Someone is not thinking at the Ministry of Health.\u201d<\/p>\n
CityNews reached out to the Ministry and we were told people in this age group are required to come in so a new photograph and signature can be captured.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also to ensure original documents are shown to support continued entitlement,\u201d spokesperson W.D. Lighthall said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason why the government has brought in this thing of getting renewed photos is people were committing fraud in some small numbers with the health cards,\u201d Mehra responded. \u201cThis is an elderly group. Do we really need photos every five years at that point? Not necessarily so.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mehra wasn\u2019t aware of the issue until CityNews brought it to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn response, we will phone officials at the Ministry of Health and we\u2019ll also phone the political side and ask them to review this. Good for CityNews for doing this story because this kind of pressure is very likely to win change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether that happens remains to be seen. In the meantime, Lighthall said anyone in this age group who cannot physically make it into a Service Ontario can file for a medical exemption.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just an added step, I feel this can be avoided by just allowing these people to renew online or by mail,\u201d Mehra said.<\/p>\n