End of provincial health care program for uninsured people leaves one man with hefty medical bills

A young man facing enormous hospital bills after major surgery because he’s new to the country and uninsured has been left in limbo with no real path forward from health officials.

Josue Rivero moved to Canada from Mexico to be with his mom in late 2021, but one day he quickly became ill, fell into a coma and ended up losing both of his legs.

“My health was really critical, so I had to decide whether to have my legs amputated or not. But if I did not accept the amputation, the infection could kill me at any moment,” Rivero shared with CityNews through an interpreter.

For nearly two months last year, Rivero was at Humber River Hospital receiving critical care before and after having his legs amputated.

The young Mexican was uninsured so the bills for his stay at the hospital started piling up, to nearly $90,000.

The Ontario government’s Physician and Hospital Services for Uninsured Persons (PHSUP) program, which would have covered the expenses, ended while Rivero was in hospital.

“When I woke up from the coma, that health program had already finished. So, the pressure began, like they started asking, ‘Do I have insurance? Do I have OHIP? How was I going to pay?” shared Rivero.

A coalition of organizations advocating for universal health care in Ontario launched a petition at the time to restore the program while letters expressing concern were sent to the Minister of Health from several prominent medical organizations.

“These are people who are amongst the most precarious in our society, they’re often racialized,” explained Jessica Chan, a member of Health Care for All. “They don’t have immigration status. They work very precarious jobs. They often live in more significant poverty than the rest of the general population. They can’t afford these high medical bills.”

CityNews asked Health Minister Sylvia Jones about the medical bills undocumented people will often get.

In response, she said, “If you need emergency surgery in the province of Ontario, you will get it, and you will not be charged in an Ontario hospital. We have community health centres that are funded very specifically for individuals who are undocumented refugees and that work continues.”

The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) said that cases differ and whether uninsured patients qualify for coverage depends on the “situation and context.”

“The OHA is working closely with its members and health system partners to address the health service gaps that remain for uninsured patients,” they said in their statement. “Ontario hospitals remain committed to ensuring equitable access to health care for all patients, including uninsured patients who play a key role in contributing to Ontario’s social and economic fabric.”

Rivero, meanwhile, isn’t getting the help. Instead, he’s just hoping for the best.

“Well, it has been a very long process, it has been a bit complicated. This experience definitely changed my life, it made a 360-degree turn in my life. But, I still have many expectations for my life,” he said.