The group for accident insurance reform is calling on Queen’s Park to fix what it calls the province’s ‘broken auto insurance system.’
FAIR, the Association of Victims For Accident Insurance Reform, is urging the Ontario government to provide better oversight to protect vulnerable auto accident victims.
“FAIR is concerned that the victims and survivors of car accidents are exposed to significant risk,” says Rhona DesRoches, the board chair of FAIR, “when attending medical assessments and treatment clinics when regulatory oversight and enforcement is virtually non-existent. We urge the government to fix the province's broken auto insurance system.”
FAIR is a grassroots not-for-profit organization of motor vehicle accident victims who have been injured in motor vehicle collisions and who have struggled with the current auto insurance system in Ontario.
According to the Health Claims for Auto Insurance Processing report released last month, Ontario’s auto insurers spent over $242 million dollars for 89,826 visits by MVA victims at private clinics, assessment facilities and medical offices for medical opinions or treatment in 2013.
“Theresa Boyle’s Toronto Star story this past weekend exposed the dangers facing Ontarians who are treated in a for-hire medical system. The risks exist because of the lack of transparency at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in respect to the oversight of these privately run facilities,” says DesRoches. “The disregard for the health and safety of Ontarians was highlighted again on Tuesday when another Toronto Star article exposed another College failure to advise other patients or even those whom they knew had been harmed.
It is a major concern for vulnerable and injured accident victims who are legislated to attend assessments at private facilities says DesRoches. Court documents reveal that accident victims as well as WSIB claimants have been treated at Rothbart Pain Clinic in the past and possibly even during this crisis at the clinic where there were infection control deficiencies, states a press release from FAIR
DesRoches points to The Insurance Bureau of Canada acknowledging that IMEs are used “to control overall costs for the millions of consumers who buy auto insurance in Ontario. Everyone knows there is a fraud problem. Insurance companies use IMEs to combat fraud.”
While considering changes to auto insurance with the intent to fine claimants $500 for failing to appear at insurer ordered assessments, “our legislators ought to consider just what the risks are,” says DesRoches. “Current fraud ‘fixes’ favour protecting the financial health of Ontario's private auto insurers and their medical assessors at the expense of the physical health of injured claimants.”
FAIR wants MPPs from all political parties to look more closely at auto insurance in Ontario when Bill 15 is considered.
Bill 15 includes the recommendation from the final Anti-Fraud Task Force Report that FSCO continue to rely on the CPSO and Ontario’s regulatory colleges to oversee Ontario’s third-party for-hire medical opinion providers.
The Anti-Fraud Task Force has stated that “Health regulatory colleges should work together to develop professional standards, guidelines and best practices to improve the quality of independent medical assessments of auto insurance claimants conducted by their members.”
However, “FAIR has not yet seen any action on protecting accident victims since this recommendation in 2012,” says DesRoches.
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Rick on
30/09/2014 9:09:29 PM
Ignoring that the quality of insurer examinations really does matter is what is bringing down the system. Victims have good reason to be dissatisfied when they don't get what they paid for. So why are the insurers not insisting on quality med reports and cleaning up the mess they created? Oh yes, it's called profit and the dishonest and deceptive and defective system we have works for them.
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Devils Trumpet on
29/09/2014 12:21:48 PM
Protecting accident victims has not been a priority nor will it any time soon under the Wynne cabal. This government has gone out of it's way to ignore the very people they claim to protect. There's too much money and gifts-in-kind coming from the IBC and private clinics and going into Liberal pockets and the CPSO protects their membership who completely ignore the rules set out by the College with impunity. Half the legislature is populated by doctors,the other by lawyers,two professions where ethics is becoming more of an obstacle than a virtue.
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alien on
30/09/2014 11:17:35 PM
Risk,only addressed for insurers making up for lost investments,or claim payouts. Ontario's more concerned they make their profits, guaranteed within their agreement with the government. Ontarians who are mandated to pay for insurance don't receive anywhere near the political will to address their needs.To not even receive their premiums,never mind be protected from abuse in a paid contract. If one read the numerous anti citizen based Ontario legislation like human right's Bill 107. Have to wonder if you're in a democracy or twisted version of an autocratic state?
Source: http://www.insurancebusiness.ca/news/accident-victims-at-risk-at-clinics-fair-182281.aspx?p=2
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