Current OHIP coverage of medication Medicine, Nursing Research Paper

Current OHIP Coverage of Medication
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Current OHIP Coverage of Medication
Introduction
The current OHIP coverage of medication is the Canadian health insurance plan in the province of Ontario. The cover evolved in various steps under different names to the ultimate plan that was developed and named in 1972. The plan has also yielded other benefits including the provision of free medical services for minors under the age of 24 years in the OHIP+ plan (Queen's Printer of Ontario, 2020). The OHIP medical cover is run by the Canadian government to enhance effective and affordable medical services for all eligible individuals in Ontario upon adherence to payment of the required premiums for the insurance plan
Historical development
The OHIP was developed by the Canadian government to help the Canadian population battling with medical expenses in the provision of health care since many individuals could not afford the desired medical plans for their conditions. First, working with an insurance cover required the implementation of appropriate steps to ensure that the government could run the project successfully. On the other hand, the program would help the entire community and the citizens in the country had the obligation of participating in its development. Although the government could have faced various challenges including the initial financing of the plan and the certainty about the response of the involved individuals, they did not give up the strategies used to ensure completion and achievement of the anticipated goals.
On the other hand, the government should have had confidence from the prior success in the running of other insurance plans. For instance, Ontario Medical Services Insurance Plan (OMSIP) the first government-run health plan in Ontario was enacted and established in 1966 (Newcomer Information Centre, 2019). OMSIP was later replaced by Ontario Health Services Insurance Plan in 1969 (Newcomer Information Centre, 2019). The plan was run by the province of Ontario with assistance from the federal government. This coalition worked under the medical insurance Act, in an effort to establish a national medical plan in the country. Although the plan was provincially run, the federal government was also involved to ensure accountability in the health sector. Having the provincial divisions could not prevent the state from worrying and acting on the health of its citizens. Also, since the cover was made to ease the financial burden of medical expenses for the citizens, the government had to cheap in to ensure efficient financing of the plan. This level of accountability proves that the political leaders in the country had great concern for the social welfare of the country and the latter involves the provision of proper medical care. OHSIP was then named the Ontario health insurance plan (OHIP) later in 1972.
Since the government-funded OHIP partially, the province had to support the establishment of the plan for the welfare of the people living in Ontario. The province disposed of the tax and revenues paid by working and employed individuals to fund the establishment of OHIP (Newcomer Information Centre, 2019). On the other hand, the employees in the province get charged on health care tax from their payrolls and the residents pay consistent premium amounts for the coverage of their medication needs. Although the insurance cover should have been free for the eligible members, the plan for the payment of premiums was introduced in 2004 to enhance further funding of the project (Newcomer Information Centre, 2019). Finally, Ontario provides subsequent funds to the hospitals located in the province publicly.
Description of the policy
OHIP pays for a wide range of medical services either partially or in full amounts of the incurred cost. The insurance plan caters to most basic medical and emergency services for eligible persons. However, OHIP does not pay for some services like cosmetic surgery and dental services (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2018). The plan could judge issues like cosmetic surgery as a luxury and not a health issue. It’s obvious that the service is facilitated to enhance beauty but not the health of the person involved. In this case, offering to cater to the surgery would have created an opportunity for most people in the province since even if they will pay, a partial and the biggest cost would go to the insurance company. Although the stipulation is not one of the principles in the insurance plan, it limits the cover for some issues to cater to emergency services. OHIP pays a partial cost for some treatments like Physiotherapy treatments, eye and travel costs as well (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2018). While people under the cover may anticipate for full coverage in the case of organs like eyes, the stipulation in the plan states otherwise. Hence, individuals are advised to find out if the desired treatments and procedures are covered by the OHIP medication cover.
Although people are not eligible for OHIP insurance cover in the first three months of living in Ontario, they should apply after getting a permanent address soon after arrival in the province. In this case, the ministry of health advises individuals to purchase private health insurance covers to ensure that they can cater to their medical services during the waiting period, which is three months starting from the first day of arrival in Ontario. On the other hand, the people eligible for OHIP must be included in various categories. One, a person should be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident in Ontario or a newcomer defined to be eligible for OHIP under the requirements in the Ontario’s Health Insurance Act (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, 2018). The provision given by the Act reveals the intervention of law and the regulations in the country to assist in the coverage for some individuals. Secondly, a person should be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in any consistent twelve-month period (Newcomer Information Cen...