Coming up short: Why Ontario optometrists are disappointed with province's $39-million offer

Ontario has offered its optometrists a one-time payment of $39 million—not nearly enough to bridge the huge funding gap of OHIP-covered eye care services in a single year, says the association representing the profession in the province. The offer will not dissuade Ontario optometrists from proceeding with plans to withdraw provincially-insured eye care services starting Sept. 1 if the Ministry of Health does not agree to at least cover the cost of delivering these services. “This one-time payment from the government covers less than one quarter of the funding deficit to reach our cost to perform OHIP services in a single year,” Dr. Sheldon Salaba, president of the Ontario Association of Optometrists, said in a statement. “More importantly, it does not commit to any long-term solution or mechanism to address this crisis in eye care. This omission will continue to have adverse effects on OHIP patients like children and seniors for years to come.” Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott said in a statement that the $39-million payment represents retroactive fee increases over the past decade to the approximately 2,500 optometrists practising in the province, and is similar to fee increases applied to other health care professionals including physicians. The ministry has also asked for ‘bilateral discussions, with the continued support of a mediator, to review optometry operating costs and future fee increases.’ Dr. Salaba said Ontario optometrists are disappointed with the ministry’s response, in particular with how long it took to get any kind of acknowledgement. “While we understand the government’s request to review optometry operating costs and fee increases, this work could have begun months ago,” he said. “It is extremely frustrating for our members to see the government continue to prolong a resolution while our patient’s health care and quality of life remain at risk.” Read: LET'S TALK: Ontario optometrists agree to mediation but still won't see OHIP patients starting in September The OAO had approached the ministry last December to discuss funding issues and the possibility of co-authoring a study on optometry fees. This overture was met with silence, said Dr. Salaba. In June 2021, the association announced that Ontario optometrists will suspend services starting Sept. 1 for patients up to the age of 19 and and for those who are 65 years or older. The job action could also affect certain patients with eye conditions covered by OHIP. The province agreed to meet with the OAO but the initial discussion on Aug. 5 ended in an impasse. The province offered mediation, which began on Aug. 12. “While we had hoped that these discussions would lead to a positive outcome, we are disappointed in the OAO’s approach to this process, particularly their continued threat to withdraw services that many vulnerable Ontarians rely on,” Minister Elliott said in the statement. Both parties have said they are ready to continue talking. More than 100,000 patients have written the province asking them to fund OHIP-insured eye care to the cost of delivery, according to the OAO. OHIP pays an average of $44.65 for an eye exam—just $5.50 more than what the province paid three decades ago—representing just 55% of the cost of providing the service. About 70% of an average optometrist’s patient load is OHIP-insured. Dr. Joshua Smith, an optometrist in Alexandria, east of Ottawa, said the average cost of an eye exam today is about $80. That’s what governments in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec pay their optometrists for the same service. “And the cost of delivery in Manitoba is lower than what it is in Ontario,” he said. The government’s offer of $39 million for retroactive increases does little to create a sustainable eye care system for Ontarians, said Dr. Smith. “We’re focused on the future and we’re looking to the government to invest in patient care and to commit to a formal and binding negotiation framework for today and the future,” he said. Read: It’s time . . . to get compensated

Coming up short: Why Ontario optometrists are disappointed with province's $39-million offer

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