BC Health Minister Kevin Falcon has responded to concerns raised by the BC Ombudsperson and BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and confirmed his government's plan to publicly disclose all the per diem rates, hours of care and standards of care for publicly funded seniors care facilities across the province.
Minister Falcon made the commitment during his appearance at the annual Estimates Committee at the BC Legislature at the end of May. He expects the disclosure would take place once new residential care rate changes are implemented.
For years, care providers across the province have expressed concerns about the ongoing resistance of local health authorities to be transparent and fully disclose funding rates for their own facilities. In the Ombudsperson's December report, she echoed these concerns and indicated that funding rates for residential care facilities across the province ranged from $100 - $240/day. Home care rates vary as well.
Minister Falcon went on to say at the Estimates Committee that he agrees with the direction of the Ombudsperson's observation that information is uneven across the province.
BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) CEO Ed Helfrich welcomed the Minister's commitment. "While we will need to confirm some details with the Ministry over the summer, this is a very encouraging sign and we want to recognize Minister Falcon for responding to this issue. An informed discussion about increased efficiency in health care must start with a commitment to more transparency."
During his appearance at the Estimates Committee, Minister Falcon also addressed a number of other issues affecting the seniors' care sector including HST mitigation and reallocation of new client user fees. He also confirmed his view that level of complex residential care being offered from one facility to the next is starting to become pretty much even.
BCCPA has written a letter to Minister Falcon to thank him for his commitment and lay out suggestions for the format and full nature of the funding disclosure. Disclosure of funding rates was also a key recommendation BCCPA's made to Minister Falcon in their 2009 Action Plan on efficiency and sustainability of the seniors' care system.
