TORONTO -- Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews is urging the federal government to reverse its decision to "significantly reduce" health coverage for refugee claimants.
Benefits under the interim federal health program, which provides extended health-care benefits to refugees, are to be cut as of June 30.
After that, refugees will see their health care coverage limited to emergency services, or if their care is required to prevent or treat a disease that could endanger the public.
The Conservatives have argue that extended benefits for refugees are better than those received by most Canadians.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney recently told a Senate committee that the goal is to "ensure that there is equity and fairness in health benefits."
But in a letter to Kenney and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Matthews says the policy change will create a "class system for health care in Canada."
She tells both ministers that the new policy "effectively downloaded federal costs onto the provincial health care system.
"Even in emergency circumstances, your changes will see certain refugee claimants receiving no health-care coverage at all," wrote Matthews.
Many medical professionals have already stated their opposition to the cuts, including Dr. Mark Tyndall, the head of infectious diseases at the Ottawa hospital.
He said last week that the policy will "deny life-saving medical care to some of the most vulnerable and traumatized people in the whole world."
The Conservatives have argued good health-care benefits attract bogus refugee claims and estimates the cuts will save about $20 million a year for the next five years.
