Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jul 2016
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Geordon Omand
Page: 13

B.C. TO STOP TAKING DRUG FEE FROM WELFARE CHEQUES

Charged Addicts for Methadone Treatment

Faced with a potential class-action lawsuit, the B.C. government has 
ended its practice of deducting money from the welfare cheques of 
recovering addicts receiving treatment from private 
methadone-dispensing clinics.

Legal documents received by the plaintiff's lawyer from the 
provincial government indicate the Ministry of Social Development has 
changed its policy and, beginning next week, will pay any additional 
clinic fees for affected clients on income or disability assistance.

It's the latest development in a legal challenge launched last 
November aimed at stopping the government from allowing private 
clinics to take $18.34 from clients' social-assistance cheques in 
exchange for methadone treatment, as well as compensating those 
already affected by the policy.

"The government's change of heart is (its) way of acceding to the 
inevitable," said Jason Gratl, lawyer for the proposed representative 
plaintiff.

"In the future, the $18.34 will remain in the pockets of the most 
desperate, the most disadvantaged in our province" Gratl said. The 
question of whether they'll be reimbursed for the funds already taken 
has yet to be decided, he added.

Gratl said the program affects between 5,000 and 10,000 people and 
has been in place since at least 2008, meaning the overall amount of 
money deducted could be as much as $13 million.

The original lawsuit said private methadone clinics require clients 
to sign a $60 government-drafted fee agreement, which is in turn 
reduced by $41.66 by a government-provided supplement. The remainder 
is either paid out of pocket or, in the case of those on income 
assistance, is drawn from the client's monthly allowance.

An application was filed in B.C. Supreme Court last week requesting 
an injunction against the practice continuing while the original 
lawsuit worked its way through the legal system.

Raymond Fieltsch, an executive director with the Ministry of Social 
Development, wrote in an affidavit dated Wednesday and received by 
Gratl that recipients of income or disability assistance have been or 
will be informed that the subtractions from their cheques would cease.

Gratl said the proposed class-action lawsuit would continue in order 
to secure compensation for methadone fees taken from past social 
assistance payments.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom