Before any purchase is made for home health care products, large or small, we encourage our customers to review if their existing insurance covers the expenditure or if there is a government plan that offers full or partial coverage. Do your homework as this can save you time and make the administration for reimbursement a lot easier if you understand the rules up front. There will also be no surprises, which is a good thing.

The following guideline should give you some insights into possible third party assistance, which can vary according to your personal circumstances.

Government Funding
Government funding is public insurance. Some of the most common providers are:

British Columbia – Medical Services Plan
1 800 465-4911 (toll free)
www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/msp

British Columbia – Ministry of Human Resources
Enhanced Medical Coverage, now called, Housing and Social Development
1-866-866-0800

Worksafe B.C. (for work related injuries)
604 231-8888
1 888 967-5377 (toll free)
www.worksafebc.com

I.C.B.C. (for automobile injury claims)
604 661-2800
www.icbc.com

Central Mortgage and Housing – Federal Government
This is Canada’s national housing agency and it has two programs that help Canadians access a wide variety assistance to meet their housing accessibility needs:

1. Residential Rehabilitation Program (RRAP) – this program helps low income families, people with disabilities and Aboriginals to live in decent affordable homes
2. HASI Program – is for homeowners and landlords to provide financial assistance for the installation of home adaptations that help seniors maintain their independence

Private Insurance and Extended Benefits
If you are employed or have a company pension plan that has extended coverage or have bought extended coverage privately this is the first place to look to see if some of your needs can be covered.

Some of the most popular carriers are:

Great West Life Assurance Company             www.greatwestlife.com  604 331-2444

Pacific Blue Cross
604 419-2200
1 800 USE-BLUE
www.pac.bluecross.ca

Associations & Advocacy Groups – both Provincial and Federal
There are many of these groups available to support people in need. They are outlined in detail in a government publication called Disability Resource Guide, which is published by the Opportunities For The Disabled Foundation or you can link to them at www.oftdf.org

Medical/Disability Tax Solutions:
Many people with disabilities (or their family members) are missing important disability tax credits and may have significant unclaimed tax refunds from previous years.  Ken Lagasse Inc. Chartered Accountant can help you qualify for disability tax credits and refunds.  For more info click on this link: www.disabilitytaxcredit.ca or call 604-629-1919.  Eligibility Assesment Forms are available at Regency Medical Supplies.

Associations & Advocacy Groups
There are a host of associations and groups that offer information, assistance, and literature about most chronic diseases and health issues. We have set up links below for the most common ones:

The Arthritis Society
Association for Injured Motorcyclists
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities
BC & Yukon Cancer Society
British Columbia Association for Community Living
BC Lymphedema Association
BC Paraplegic Association
BC Society of Occupational Therapists
Canadian Celebral Palsy Sports Assoc.                                 Canadian Diabetes Association
Canadian Disabled Individuals Association (Voices of the Marketplace)
Celebral Palsy Association of British Columbia
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation
International Society of the Handicapped of Greater Vancouver – Phone: 604-271-8387
Kidney Foundation of Canada
Kinsmen & Kinettes of British Columbia & Yukon – Phone: 604-233-1993
Lower Mainland Brain Injury Association – Phone 1-800-510-3221
MSA Society of Community Living
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada
Osteoporosis Society of Canada
Post Polio Awareness and Support Society of BC
Physiotherapy Association of BC
Public Health Agency of Canada
Regional Disabled Persons Association – Phone: 604-533-2415
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