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Nova Scotia Patients Face Care Access Barriers
16 Sep
Summary
- Patients need out-of-province care for specific conditions.
- Audit found unclear routes and barriers to accessing treatment.
- Recommendations aim to improve medical claims program efficiency.
Patients in Nova Scotia requiring medical treatment not offered locally often encounter a complex and unclear process for accessing care elsewhere. The province's auditor general has released a report detailing eight recommendations to enhance the program for out-of-province and out-of-country medical claims. These issues came to light following a Supreme Court of Nova Scotia decision in 2024 that criticized the government's handling of claims for two women denied coverage for specialized treatments.
The audit identified that patients needing care for conditions such as eye cancer or lung transplants typically must leave Nova Scotia. The report also noted that previously recognized health-care providers were not always accepted for referrals, creating further obstacles. Duplication of efforts and a lack of readily available program information contributed to slowed response times.
Health Minister Michelle Thompson acknowledged the need for improvements, agreeing with the objective of enhancing access. The department plans to implement the auditor general's recommendations, with a target completion date of September 2028. Some recommendations are already underway, with the minister expecting full implementation sooner.
