TORONTO — Mike Schreiner released the following statement regarding the breakdown in negotiations between the Ford government and Ontario Association of Optometrists:
“I am renewing my call for the Premier and Minister of Health to immediately commit to funding the operating costs for OHIP-funded services provided by optometrists.
Kids and seniors are stuck without care because the Premier and the Minister refuse to step up.
I’ve been hearing from families and optometrists about the difficulties they’re facing because the government is refusing to do what’s needed.
Since the beginning of the month, 250,000 optometrist appointments have been cancelled. Kids are returning to school without proper glasses and thousands of referrals for cataract surgery are being delayed.
All optometrists are asking is to break even when providing these vital services.
Ontario is the lowest publicly-funded eye care province in all of Canada.
This is a long standing issue that the previous government failed to address. And it’s time for the Premier and the Minister to sort out the government’s relationship with optometrists so Ontarians can access the quality and affordable eye care they need and deserve.”
