Is this Fedeli's forte????
Description: Good afternoon Mr. Fedeli
It was with great anticipation that I opened your email dated today.... thinking that the Conservative government had plans to step up and offer optometrists a fair and equitable compensation for the great service they provide. However, this was not the case. I was sent, what I believe is a form letter as I received the same email from you on October 15th.
Therefore I have copied and pasted my response sent to you on October 15th.
Dear Mr. Fedeli,
Thank you for your response to my concern regarding the current lack of monetary reimbursement to the optometrists serving Ontario seniors and teens.
The 3 weeks wait for your email was rather disappointing (or are you prepared to do nothing) as you did not provide any insight into what your government is prepared to do.
All the information in your email I was aware of.
As you and other Conservative politicians are obviously on a campaign trail announcing all kinds of dollars to worthy causes I hope the plight of seniors and teens requiring optometrists will now be on your radar.
I realize teens can not vote however their parents may exercise their right in the coming months.
Optometrists are asking the government to just pay the cost of service delivery. Currently, the government only covers 55% of what the cost of these are. The meager 8.48% will not pay this discrepancy which currently is 45%.
You quickly blame previous governments for not valuing the worth of this service. I would suggest that this Conservative government did NOTHING in your 4 years in office.
The $39,000,000.00 offered as a retroactive payment to optometrist breaks down to approximately $15,600.00 per optometrist for a 10 year period ($1,560.00 per year) does not resolve this dispute.
So your response that you are waiting for the optometrists to return to the table is a copout on the governments’ part. The Conservative government needs to step up and set the table with equitable monetary compensation. Optometrists should not be absorbing 45% of the cost to provide OHIP coverage.
I also would suggest the approximate $80 cost per visit in Ontario is one of the lowest in Canada and your government is ignoring this fact.
I am quite aware that my optometrist is a professional and will provide any urgent care that I require however this government is not valuing the optometrist's merit.
So I will ask again and hopefully photocopying for votes will not delay your response…..WHAT IS THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO DO TODAY...NOW TO RESOLVE THIS URGENT CONCERN.
Awaiting your reply and please do not respond with a form letter,
Sherry Guillet
North Bay
See related: Ontario needs to settle the ongoing conflict with optometrists
