Chronic Co-Payment

When you were first admitted to Hamilton Health Sciences, you required acute medical care and you were considered to be an “acute” patient. Your patient status changed to Alternate Level of Care (ALC) when in the opinion of the attending physician, you now require chronic care and is more or less a permanent resident in hospital or another institution, including a Long-Term Care (LTC) Home.

Your status is determined by a member of the clinical team serving you.

If you meet the definition above and are waiting for a bed in a complex continuing care or long term care home, you are charged a daily co-payment fee to cover the cost of meals and accommodations.

The co-payment rate is determined by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

The following patients are exempt under the regulations from any co-payment:

• Any patient under 18 years of age
• Any patient who, on the day before the patient was admitted to the hospital, was receiving income support under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act or income assistance under the Ontario Works Act

The following patients may be eligible to apply for a reduced co-payment rate:

• Low-income patients
• Patients with dependents

We will work with you to determine if you meet either of the above criteria for a reduced co-payment rate.

It is anticipated that chronic care patients may be hospitalized for many years. During this period of hospitalization, unanticipated acute episodes may occur, such as pneumonia, heart attack, etc.

If the patient requires acute care or some other type of care but still requires chronic care and will be more or less permanently resident in the hospital, the co-payment remains applicable.

However, if the attending physician is of the opinion that the patient no longer requires chronic care for a period of time, the co-payment will not be charged during that period of time.

Please visit the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for more information.