Who Pays?
Under the B.C Ministry of Heath (Care Card Services), orthotic services are not covered by the basic health care plan. For those clients covered for these services by other providers, there are different processes to go through.
Extended Health Care Plans:
If you have an extended health care plan, you can call your insurance company to see if the desired service or product is covered. Often they require a prescription for reimbursement. When you come in for your assessment, we will give you the required paperwork to submit to your extended health care provider, so they can reimburse you later. You must pay a minimum of 50% of the total at your assessment as a deposit for us to proceed with the fabrication of your orthosis, and the remainer is to be paid at the fitting.
Pharmacare:
PharmaCare covers “low cost devices need to attain or maintain basic functionality or prevent further deformity” for youth and children under the age of 18. This includes supramalleolar orthoses (SMOs), ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), hip abduction orthoses, knee ankle foot orthoses (KAFOs), hip knee ankle foot orthoses (HKAFOs), reciprocating gait orthoses and spinal orthoses. Pharmacare does not cover foot orthoses, boots and bars, upper extremity orthoses, orthopedic shoes, or any orthoses worn only on a part time basis.
If you are registered with Pharmacare, after your assessment, we will submit the cost of our services to pharmacare for approval. We will begin fabricating your orthosis after we receive confirmation from pharmacare that they will provide funding.
For more information see http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/ or call 604-683-7151 or toll-free 1-800-663-7100.
Ministry of Social Development:
If you are covered by the Ministry, you must first get the required paperwork from your social worker and get your family doctor to sign it prior to coming in for an assessment. At your assessment, the orthotist will complete the appropriate section of the application and we will send it to the Ministry. Upon recieving approval for the desired service, we will procede with the fabrication of your orthosis.
WBC or ICBC:
If you have a WCB or ICBC claim, we will send them a cost estimate following your initial assessment. Once we get approval from them, we will inform you and proceed with offering you the desired product or service.