Manitoba to cover utility costs for dialysis at home

WINNIPEG — Manitoba will reimburse home dialysis patients for their extra utility costs, Health Minister Sharon Blady announced Thursday.

Water and electricity bills can add up for patients who are treated at home, Blady said. Repayment will be based on utility use during scheduled dialysis and on the type of machine used.

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Home dialysis is still almost nearly 50 per cent less costly than such treatment in hospitals, Blady said, because it reduces the need for hospital space and requires fewer health-care workers.

The reimbursements will be administered by the Manitoba branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

“We hope these new supports will encourage more patients to undergo hemodialysis treatment in the comfort of their own home and enjoy a better quality of life,” Blady said in a release Thursday.