On October 1, 2018, the Provincial Government announced plans to introduce a new and improved financial assessment process for people who use the long-term care and community support services system.
Starting November 1, 2018, liquid asset testing will be eliminated. When applying for long-term care and community supports, people will no longer have to provide proof of their liquid assets such as bank statements or guaranteed income certificates (GICs).
Also, as of February 1, 2019, the current needs test for specific programs will be eliminated and income testing will be expanded to all long-term care and community support services offered by the regional health authorities. Eligibility will be determined through one single test, the Income Test. This will require that applicants have their latest annual personal income tax assessment notice available.
Some people already in the system may have a higher contribution when they go through the Income Test. To help minimize the impact, those people will be grand-fathered. They will not see an increase in their personal contribution for their current services.
A financial hardship policy will also be developed for both new and existing clients. This will allow the regional health authorities to have some flexibility to adjust or waive the client contribution when clients show that significant financial hardship would occur due to the contribution calculated with the Income Test. Clients requesting financial hardship consideration will have to provide additional documentation regarding their monthly expenses to support their request.
For people that have questions about the new and improved financial assessment process, they can contact their regional health authority. Contact information is listed below.
- Eastern Health – Joanne Halfyard, 709-229-1561 joanne.halfyard@easternhealth.ca
- Western Health – Chrissie O’Connell, 709-637-6182 cristaoconnell@westernhealth.ca
- Central Health – Tricia Barnes, 709-651-6277 tricia.barnes@centralhealth.nl.ca
- Labrador Grenfell Health – Debbie Pelley, 709-897-2150 debbie.pelley@lghealth.ca
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Media contact
Debbie Marnell
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 699-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca