Hi Everyone,

A friend of mine from Singing OUT! (the local GLBTQ choir) has started up a petition to urge the local government to continue funding Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for people on limited incomes receiving Ontario Drug Benefits under OHIP. I think it's important that we support this initiative, if only to make sure that the government stays honest about its recent promise to protect the health and well-being of everyone here in Ontario (and not just the white, male heterosexuals). To paraphrase the poem: "First, they stopped paying for eye exams (but I didn't need glasses); then they stopped paying for HRT (but I wasn't poor/post-menopausal/a TS); then they de-listed something else I didn't personally need;... by the time they got to me, there was no one else left to complain."

Please visit the site and, if you agree, sign the petition.

Thanks!

Sam (wannabe_alto)

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From: Kyle Scanlon <indigoboyca@yahoo.ca>

Subject: petition re: Hormone coverage through Ontario Drug Benefits

As of March 2006, the Ontario Drug Benefits plan will no longer cover Hormone Replacement Therapy for individuals receiving ODB. That will leave many members of our trans community struggling to find ways to pay for this necessary medication. To help convince the Ontario Government to re-list this medication, please visit http://new.petitiononline.com/hormones/petition.html and sign our petition!

Thanks,

Kyle Scanlon

Trans Programmes Coordinator

The 519 Church Street Community Centre

Toronto, Ontario

All I have to say to that is "Welcome to my world, pal."

The last bottle of prescription meds I had to have - which was the LAST one I bought - cost me $300 for 30 pills. No one helped me pay for any of it, either.

Isn't it nice to get used to something like coverage via National Care, or an insurance plan, only to have it yanked out from under you?

Actually, I'm sorry to hear this for you and anyone else effected by it - but, as I'm getting at here, you're in the same boat with several million other people.

Yeah, but did you sign the petition?

i would but i live in Seattle. And Paolo, you stole my avitar (or one i should have) as i am the dumbass that lives in the corner.

Paolo wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:04 pm All I have to say to that is "Welcome to my world, pal."

Isn't it nice to get used to something like coverage via National Care, or an insurance plan, only to have it yanked out from under you?

Actually, I'm sorry to hear this for you and anyone else effected by it - but, as I'm getting at here, you're in the same boat with several million other people.

I find this response a bit inappropriate to a board that's supposed to provide assistance for people in need. I indeed feel sorry for the poster that he's found it difficult to receive assistance from the medical community, certainly the insurance portion, for his needs. OTOH, I find it regrettable that his only response is to welcome the poster to his (USan) community where such situations are commonplace. So provincial! but alas also so USan! So inappropriate! Maybe he just shouldn't have responded at all?

One must have the utmost sympathy for a community that has enjoyed this assistance. I'm lucky to live in a Canadian province that has served the trans community, even if not as wholly as it once did. I also benefit from a private insurance policy through my employer that will likely continue to support my HRT habit. I feel only solace for the plight of beneficiaries of Ontario's drug benefit plan that may be losing a portion of their benefits. I'd gladly sign the petition, but - alas - my ancient internet access program betrays me. Best of luck, even if I don't know the details.

Jeff:

(and anyone else who misinterprets this message):

I SYMPATHIZE with this poster, because I know what it's like to face something like that, knowing how much of a financial burden it's going to be with no help of any kind.

Paolo wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:04 pm Actually, I'm sorry to hear this for you and anyone else effected by it - but, as I'm getting at here, you're in the same boat with several million other people.

Perhaps I should have linked into a picture of someone with open arms welcoming him/her/it to the world of "you're on your own now" folks? I don't know how else to make it any clearer.

For what it's worth, I'm sorry you take it in that manner as well.

Hugs and kisses to all, and while we're at it, let's all just get together and go on up and kick the ass of whoever came up with the idea of cutting off the coverage!

Hell, I've only slugged ONE person this morning so far...it's been a slow day!

Hey to be honest, i got it the first time, Paolo was sympathetic. honest, he was just echoing the sentiments as he is experiencing the same himself. i know, my insurance really sucks and i pay 640 a month for it. it is hard to get anything these days, but if you deviate just a little from main stream, it gets even harder.

While the Canadian system may be far from perfect, it certainly seems to work better than what the U.S. has. Signing the petition may help to keep it that way. Someday, it may even serve as a model for what might be done south of the border.

Sign it anyway - just because other governments have already seen fit to restrict funding doesn't mean the one here should....

Wannabe_alto