Dozens of Ontarians are coming forward with troubling accounts of being charged out-of-pocket for cataract surgeries that should have been fully covered by OHIP. The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) has filed formal complaints on behalf of 50 patients who say they were “extra billed” by private clinics for medically necessary procedures.
At a virtual press conference on June 17, OHC executive director Natalie Mehra shared testimonies from patients—many of them seniors on fixed incomes—who were forced to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for services the province insists are insured under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. One woman, Maureen Munro from London, described paying $7,000 in 2022 for urgent eye surgery to preserve her vision. “I live alone and feared losing my eyesight,” she said. “I’m still trying to catch up on bills from that surgery.”
Others echoed similar experiences. David Kauk from Kitchener-Waterloo said he was charged $250 for eye tests and then told a week before his procedure he’d need to pay $1,100 per eye. Jules Tupker in Thunder Bay paid $550 for eye measurements for himself and his wife. Like others, he applied for reimbursement under Ontario’s Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act program—but says he hasn’t heard back since last October.
The OHC says it has received more than 200 such complaints in the past year. According to Mehra, these charges—sometimes masked as “premium” lenses or eye measurements—are not allowed under provincial or federal law. She warned that private clinics are exploiting patients, and in some cases encouraging queue-jumping by offering faster service for a price. Mehra emphasized that everything required for cataract surgery, including eye tests, standard lenses, eye drops, and follow-up appointments, is covered under OHIP and must not be billed separately.
The coalition has formally raised the issue with Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel, demanding enforcement of existing laws and stricter oversight of private clinics. The Ministry of Health responded by reiterating its stance that extra billing for OHIP-covered services is illegal. Ema Popovic, spokesperson for Minister Jones, acknowledged the coalition’s complaints but said similar concerns have been raised in the past and patients have the right to seek full reimbursement through the province’s review program.
Meanwhile, advocacy group Canadian Doctors for Medicare is encouraging anyone who suspects they’ve been improperly billed to file a complaint using their online reporting tools or to contact the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act program directly at 1-888-662-6613 or by emailing protectpublichealthcare@ontario.ca.
As the cost of private care quietly creeps into publicly insured services, the coalition warns that without immediate action, more patients will be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship.