Support Programs for Diabetes Treatment in Ontario
The financial weight of dealing with Diabetes can be considerable and most people are simply not able to bear the burden alone. Some have the help of family and friends while others are aided in their efforts by the Disability Tax Credit. Yet there are other help and support mechanisms available to Canadian diabetics that receive little press but are worth mentioning and we’ll go over a sampling of them below.
Important Support Programs Diabetics Should Know About
No diabetic should be expected to shoulder the immense financial burden of their Diabetes disability by themselves. Here is a short list of some of the important support organizations and initiatives designed to help ease the burdens of Diabetes treatments in Ontario.
- The Ontario Government Insulin Pump Supply Program – Insulin pumps can be a literal life-saver but many families are not able to afford them for their diabetic kids. This program, run out of the pediatric diabetes clinic of Markham Stouffville Hospital, aims to do just that as well as provide these families with additional supplies they could not otherwise afford.
- The Monitoring for Health Program – This program is designed to cover the cost of diabetes related medical supplies not covered by the recipient’s insurance or other benefit plans. Insulin dependent diabetics can be reimbursed for up to 75% of the cost of their strips and lancets up to a maximum of $600 annually.
- Syringes for Seniors – This program run out of the Ministry of Health provides a grant of $125 to help insulin dependent seniors cover the cost of their syringes. You must be insulin dependent, over 65 and a resident of Ontario to qualify. (For more about information, read our Ontario Disability benefits).
- Ontario Drug Benefits Program – Sometimes called the ODB, this program covers the cost of some drugs and medical supplies needed by insulin dependent diabetics (though needles are not covered). For drugs that are not normally covered by the program special funding may be arranged if the patient and their doctor submit the proper application.
- Healthcare Benefits Program – This program run by Canadian Veterans Affairs covers the cost of some over-the-counter and prescription diabetes-related drugs for eligible veterans.
Other programs can be found by doing an internet search and if you are an insulin-dependent diabetic we’d certainly recommend you do so. Above and beyond them all however, in its ability to deliver lasting, wide-ranging benefits to diabetics and their families is the Disability Tax Credit mentioned earlier. This program of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides up to $40,000 in annual relief to help diabetics offset the extraordinary costs related to their disability.
The Disability Tax Credit originated in 1988 and has in the years since gained a much-deserved reputation for being a cost-effective weapon in the government’s efforts to reign in out of control entitlement costs. The Disability Tax Credit is not a handout but rather a hand up for people who have been victimized not only by their disability but by medical costs those disabilities generate.
We Can Help You with Your Diabetes Today
While the Disability Tax Credit has proven its worth in countless ways over many years, it won’t win any awards for its tedious and unnecessarily complex application and approval process, and that’s where we come in. At Disability Credit Canada, our benefits specialists are familiar with every nuance of the CRA’s lengthy eligibility requirements and work with you and your physician to ensure there are no errors of commission or omission that might derail your application. Call us today to find out how the Disability Tax Credit can help stop the financial bleeding associated with your diabetes and put you back on the path toward health and happiness.