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Health and Community Services
March 22, 2013

Minister Clarifies Changes to Laser Treatment Coverage

The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services, is responding to inaccurate commentary from the Official Opposition which is misleading the public about the recent decision to delist laser treatments for certain skin lesions.

“Our Medical Care Plan is intended to provide coverage to the people in our province who require medically necessary services,” said Minister Sullivan. “The Official Opposition knows this is true and for it to suggest we would deny coverage to a person who needs medical care is disgraceful and offensive. Our government is focused on providing care to the people of our province. In doing that we have to look at best practices and approaches from across Canada. Laser treatments for telangiectasia, for example, are not covered by other provincial medical plans unless medically necessary and we are following this same approach.”

Telangiectasia are tiny but visible blood vessels on the skin.

Minister Sullivan, to correct the Opposition’s inaccuracies, is outlining some of the facts:

“Our government fully supports the spirit of consultations, and as we explore opportunities to help the sustainability of the province’s health care system we will look to our health care partners and stakeholders,” said Minister Sullivan. “However, there are times that we need to make decisions as a government that, while difficult, are decisions that we have to make in the broader public interest. We will continue to make sure we provide services to individuals who need them and when it is medically necessary our health care system will be responsive to their needs.”

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Media contact:
Scott Barfoot
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 690-6290
scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca 

2013 03 22                             10:35 a.m.

 
 
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