BREAST PROSTHESIS FULL COVERAGE PETITION

TO the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: -

WHEREAS, currently in Ontario, women are eligible every two years, based on the anniversary purchase date, to receive $195 towards the purchase of a full prosthesis and $105 towards a partial prosthesis, when they access the Ministry of Health’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) Breast Prosthesis Grant. When these women have personal insurance benefits, their insurance provider may or may not cover a % of the balance. Some insurance providers cover breast prosthesis every 5 years, others once in a lifetime, and others every two years.

WHEREAS, anyone receiving welfare, or social assistance, is eligible to receive $260 from ADP for a full prosthesis and $140 for a partial prosthesis, but nothing else. Since January 1st, 2013, anyone receiving social assistance is no longer eligible to receive the balance of the cost of the prosthesis nor do they qualify to receive the 2 mastectomy brassieres allowed per year. For many women, this result in them not getting prosthesis at all, which may create psychological and physiological concerns that may aggravate over time, creating other series of health struggles.

WHEREAS, it would be to the benefit of women in Ontario, to receive full coverage for either a full or partial prosthesis.  To not only help them feel whole again but also to prevent other health issues that may occur in the future that would result in more health care costs.

WE, the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: -

The women of Ontario, who had a surgery such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy due to a diagnosis of breast cancer or from being born with a deformity of one or both breasts, should receive full coverage of breast prosthesis up to $425 for a full prosthesis and up to $250 for a partial prosthesis.

So, should the Legislative Assembly of Ontario undertake to approve those amounts of coverage for the women of Ontario.