NDP urges province to pay man’s six-figure U.S. hospital bill

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This article was published 25/01/2017 (3529 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba NDP says the province should not leave a southeastern Manitoba heart attack patient in the lurch over a six-figure U.S. medical bill.

Robin Milne of Sprague was handed a bill for the equivalent of $118,000 after receiving treatment in a North Dakota hospital.

The Manitoba Health Department has refused to cover it. Matt Wiebe, the NDP’s health critic, says that’s wrong.

“Through no fault of his own, Robin Milne was handed a huge medical bill after being sent from his home in Sprague to the U.S., where doctors saved his life,” Wiebe said. “The Pallister government should pay that bill and ensure that no other Manitobans face the same traumatic shock when fighting for their lives.”

Milne suffered a heart attack at his home in Sprague on Oct. 2. As per standard practice in the area, which is just a few minutes from the U.S. border, he was taken by ambulance to a health clinic in Roseau, Minn. A doctor there tried to arrange transportation to St. Boniface hospital in Winnipeg, where doctors were on standby to operate.

When no transportation could be arranged within a safe timeframe and because of his serious condition, the Minnesota doctor transferred Milne to Grand Forks, N.D, where doctors saved his life, the NDP said.

A provincial government spokeswoman said Manitoba does not have a reciprocal health agreement with either Minnesota or North Dakota.

Generally, health coverage under the provincial health insurance plan for Manitoba residents outside of the country is limited to Manitoba rates for emergency services. If a service is unavailable elsewhere in Canada, the Health Department has to sign off on out-of-country care for costs to be approved, and the patient needs a referral from a Manitoba specialist, she said.

In southeastern Manitoba, however, the province has made arrangements to pay in full for emergency services and primary care at two clinics just across the border in Roseau, Minn. and Warroad, Minn., the provincial spokeswoman said.

Milne was told by the government that he had “elected” to receive medical treatment out of country; that it was up to him to negotiate payment directly with U.S. hospitals; and that Manitobans living in his area should “obtain private health insurance,” according to the NDP.

“All Manitobans will see this treatment of Mr. Milne as unacceptable,” Wiebe said. “We urge the Pallister government to pay Mr. Milne’s bill immediately and ensure rural Manitobans get timely access to health care. No patient should have to worry about paying such a huge bill when their life is on the line.”