Government information on refugee healthcare changes is misleading, may be fatal

The Canadian government's recent announcement on changes to the Interim Federal Health Program[1] is based on misleading information. This is all the more deplorable because the stakes are a matter of life and death to many refugee claimants, resettled refugees (with government assistance or privately sponsored), and other protected persons in Canada.

"Thousands of people now receiving medication for everything from epilepsy and childhood respiratory illnesses to cancer and AIDS will no longer have access as of 30 June 2012," according to CCR President Wanda Yamamoto. "Will it take some deaths for the government to change its mind?"

In its public information, the government presents the changes as aimed at reducing "extra" healthcare coverage supposedly provided to refugee claimants, compared with what Canadians receive.