Bill 7, also known as the “More Beds, Better Care Act”, allows for the temporary transfer of senior patients waiting for space in a long-term care home to another home not of their choosing.
In a joint statement, the province’s health and long-term care ministers said the policy “frees up hospital beds so that people waiting for surgeries can get them sooner” while also easing pressure on overcrowded emergency rooms.
Advocates indicated concern that seniors would be transferred to long-term care homes far away from family, or that they would be charged exorbitant fees to remain in hospital if they choose to refuse the offer.
On Wednesday, the province released specific regulations for the bill outlining restrictions transfers to a 70-kilometre radius in southern Ontario and a 150-kilometre radius in Northern Ontario.
If there is no long-term care home or if there is limited vacancy within this radius, placement coordinators can select the next closest home to the patient’s preferred location.
The government said these restrictions were based on input from the health-care and long-term care sector.
The government also said that as of Nov. 20, hospitals will be required to charge a daily fee of $400 to all people “who have been discharged by their doctor with a care plan that delivers more appropriate care elsewhere.”
The charges would begin 24 hours after discharge and apply to any discharged patient who refuses to leave hospital.
At the same time, officials reiterated that no patient will be moved to a long-term care home without their consent.
“This policy, developed using the best advice, will be implemented compassionately, always with an eye to providing the best possible and most appropriate care to all Ontarians,” the statement said.
Prior to these regulations, the maximum rate for alternative level of care (ALC) patients choosing to stay in hospital rather than move to one of their five homes of chose was $62.18 per day, or close to $1,800 a month
This is a developing news story. More to come.
