Good news for those who need physiotherapy but who don't have the insurance coverage to pay for it.
There are still a few rules, and the amount of coverage is still limited, but the provincial government has now extended OHIP coverage for physiotherapy to more Ontarians.
"This is great news," said Andre Riopel, a well-known Sault registered physiotherapist.
Back In Motion, Riopel's physiotherapy clinic situated at 589 Second Line East, is one of two private local physiotherapy clinics which have been approved for OHIP-funded physiotherapy, the other being Algoma Physical Rehabilitation Clinic at 473 Queen Street East.
It is also available at the Group Health Centre.
"Of course, anybody can come to the clinic, but what this does is basically helps seniors and young people who need physiotherapy who may not have coverage," Riopel told SooToday.
"A lot of people who come for therapy are on workers' compensation or their employer has extended health benefits, but if you don't have any of that, you have to pay out of pocket (until now)."
Under the new rules, to qualify for OHIP-funded physiotherapy , patients must be 65 or older, 19 or younger, or be of any age after an overnight hospital stay for a condition requiring physiotherapy, or be an Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) client, have a valid OHIP card and a referral from a physician or nurse practitioner.
Another clause stipulates clinics such as Back In Motion can accept no more than six new referrals a week.
While that may seem restrictive at first glance, taking no more than six new referrals a week means a physiotherapist can spend more therapeutic time with each patient as opposed to rushing 15 new patients in and out, Riopel said.
The new rules are outcome based (meaning physiotherapists with the OHIP designation are being encouraged by the province to treat patients effectively in the least number of visits as possible), but Riopel still welcomes the news.
Conditions which may be treated through physiotherapy and covered by OHIP include vertigo, post surgical rehabilitation (therapy needed after hip or knee joint replacements, for example) or acute neck, back or joint pain.