The BC Conservatives say non-residents have racked up more than $200 million in unpaid health bills in British Columbia since 2020.
In a release, they pointed to research from SecondStreet.org, which obtained the information through a freedom of information request.
The organization said it found that people from outside Canada are coming to B.C., receiving health services and then not paying their bills.
“The government should definitely be taking a look at this problem,” SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig said in a release.
“This is costing B.C. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars while access to health care for residents continues to deteriorate. B.C.’s situation is the worst we’ve seen in Canada so far.”
In a breakdown, it found that there are $94,595,000 outstanding in the Fraser Health region, $54,129,000 in Interior Health, $20,900,000 in Island Health, and $30,982,000 in Vancouver Coastal Health, for a total of $200,606,000. Northern Health did not provide any data.
“British Columbians are not guaranteed timely access to healthcare, be it treatment or diagnostics, and this situation continues to deteriorate under the NDP,” Anna Kindy, MLA for North Island and Critic for Health, said in a statement.
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“Taxpayers are footing the bill for tourists’ health treatments to the tune of over $200 million, enough to cover over 21,000 hip replacements in this province while British Columbians wait months to years for that surgery.”
B.C.’s health minister doesn’t believe it’s typically visitors to B.C. who are exploiting the system, but those who need unexpected urgent care.
“While any unpaid amount is concerning, health authorities are required and do take action to ensure they do everything possible to recover those costs,” Health Minister Josie Osborne said.
The organization behind the research also has some suggestions to avoid these bills, including requiring visitors from abroad to pay up front before receiving medical treatment except for life-saving cases, urging Ottawa to require visitors to have travel insurance before entering the country as part of the visa process and the federal government banning re-entry to Canada for non-residents with outstanding medical bills.
Post Nation State Canada is the world’s rent-a-car.
Not really tourists. Medical “tourism” very popular. Problem is the pandering to all policy.
The only ones that should be getting medical in BC are actual tax payers that put money into the system and not ones that move here and live off us period and never work a single day here. That will fix the system. But my question is does governemnt have the guts to do that and actually do the job they get elected to do or wimp out and blame it on politics. I would be more than happy to do the job. Visitors should be charged at the medical facility right away or do not provide the service as others countries do.
And if you don’t believe me…then why ( and how btw) do you guys ALL still buy your cars in Alberta and live here?!
@tk….it says TOURISTS ! Half you guys moved here…then family/ friends visit. Equals tourists. Plus we have better medical than you. Plus you guys abuse everything else. Thank you and goodnight! Try the veal. ( it is the other people too…but not entirely !)
Meh, they voted for it.
It is outrageous and thank you for bringing this to light. The system needs an overhaul and Canadians must come first. Absolutely unacceptable that this can even happen, less services and longer wait times for BC taxpayers and residents and front of the line FREE services for tourists. We need change in BC.
It’s a no- brainer. Amputate at the neck. Learn the difference between a tourist and an invader.
This is people here having their ‘family’ members come over from India and abuse the system and then go back home without paying. They even publish how to do this on south asian websites. But nobody investigates THAT!!
Pay up front, or don’t get the care, easy… sounds cruel? A little, but WE are left with this HUGE BILL to pay…. Tourists racked up $200M, they should get medical coverage before coming here…. So Ya… Pay up front!!
Define tourists please!
It is the families inviting sick parents over here for treatment they can’t get or can’t afford back in the home land.
Most of them have never had an ounce of medical care in their lives.
They then come here with multiple long term complications and bump local residents who’ve been paying in for decades. Once one found out the rest piled on.
Make them pay first. It’s an easy fix.
@BC RESIDENT
Why would we abuse your system, we have our own. Pretty ridiculous statement. Couldn’t be all the people on temporary visa’s now could it be? Sounds like you have a ID 10T problem.
Excellent reporting Amy & Ben.
Please do not let this story drop off.
A follow up every few months would be a great service to your readers, listener, and all of BC taxpayers.
Thank you for your investigation into this disgrace. I have been waiting for a CT scan for six months, and yet the tourists come for free.
Then hopefully they are banned from coming back until paid up. Sadly, with this government, I hardly doubt it.
My daughter works in labor and delivery. You should see the foreigners having babies and walking away from their bills. One woman came from nigeria with her entire family of 5 kids, went into labor early and left a $2M bill for her stay and the baby’s nicu stay.
Absolutely unacceptable!
This is not a hard fix.
And not acceptable to hard working BC taxpayers.
One of the issues is tourists beleive helath care is “free” in Canada. Yeah, ask any taxpayer if it is free! Many don’t even bother to buy health insurance when they come to Canada.
When we were in the USA, our friend was bitten by a dog. The clinic would not treat him, until his credit card was out of pocket.
Or one of ours if he had been unconscious.
I understand in extreme situations that the credit card is not possible, but in the USA and every other country, you pay. Including if you are on vacation in another Canadian province. (Then BC medical reimbursement comes, at the cost the medical required would be in BC) so not always at 100%
$200m is just the tip of the iceberg like so many thing’s in recent years immigration has created these problems and the abuse of our services is disgusting.
How many Albertans use and abuse our system?!!!
How many Albertans?!!!
Birth tourism from China.
More evidence that the Left can not govern.Their mass incompetence is bewildering
Cool, now do a story on how much mass immigration has cost our system. Shhhhhhhh.
Good for the Conservatives to find this out. It will be great to have a center right conservative gov. in power.