FAIR submission to Minister of Finance regarding SABS June 2015
We ask that our government push the pause button on the proposed changes and review the information that has recently been put in front of them in regards to insurer profits. There needs to be better information about victim recovery post the 2010 reductions and whether Ontario‟s insurers deserved to get those reductions in 2010 and profit billions on the backs of the injured. It may be the time to review whether Ontario should continue with the present private industry No-Fault coverage going forward. It isn‟t working for victims and they are the half of the equation that counts and the half that is being left without the resources and tools for recovery. We will undoubtedly see fellow Ontarians whose horrific crashes result in quadriplegia, severe brain injuries and amputations live the rest of their lives with little to no dignity. The impact of choosing between help to complete daily activities and rehabilitation to reduce the need for help in the future is magnified tenfold in this population. The future of these individuals’ children, wives, husbands or parents will be forever changed as they have to rededicate their lives to becoming full time caregivers in light of deep cuts to the benefits. We urge decision makers to spend a day with a catastrophically injured individual in order to understand the impact of the proposed cuts. We have also heard government officials suggest that Ontario’s costs are out of control compared to other provinces. Again, this is a very misleading statement. For example, here in Ontario, insurers rely heavily on the abusive practice of subjecting as many as 50 per cent of all injured accident victims to excessive medical assessments for the purpose of denying their claims. It is not at all uncommon for those assessment costs to vastly outstrip the actual treatment dollars. To add insult to injury, insurance companies count all these assessments broadly as “treatment” and then complain that our overall treatment costs are high, and that Ontario victims are more needy than people elsewhere. Government’s stated intentions vs unintended consequences The government has stated that it intends to “Update the definition of catastrophic impairment (CAT) to reflect the most up to date medical information and knowledge”. While it is reasonable to strive to incorporate relevant new medical information, “updating” must provide real improvement rather than incorporating newer, but more flawed and discriminatory methods.
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FAIR – supporting auto accident victims through advocacy and education
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FAIR – supporting auto accident victims through advocacy and education
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FAIR – supporting auto accident victims through advocacy and education