Lakeshore woman fighting hospital bill for cortisone injection

A Lakeshore woman is irate over the $25 administration fee she is being charged for cortisone injections at Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette campus.

"And I find that ridiculous," said Muntaha (Montana) Hannona.

Hannona moved to Emeryville in May 2017 from Barrie where she had been receiving cortisone injections in one of her shoulders at no charge at Royal Victoria Hospital. 

She needs the shots every three months or so to relieve pain from injuries she suffered in a car accident in 2007.

After she moved to Emeryville, she continued traveling to Barrie for her shots while she went through the process of getting a specialist in Windsor who could get her set up with injections here.

Finally, she got her appointment but was billed $25 at her first visit at WRH May 11, and she is refusing to pay on the grounds that it should be covered under OHIP.

"I live in Ontario. Windsor, Barrie, it doesn't make any difference," said Hannona. "Every time I went for my cortisone shots at the fracture clinic at the hospital [in Barrie] I never paid for anything."

WRH says the fee is allowed

In an email from Windsor Regional Hospital, CEO David Musyj said, "There are certain services in a hospital setting that are NOT covered 100% by OHIP and hospitals can charge. We have confirmed with other Erie St. Clair Hospitals that they also charge the $25 fee, or more, for cortisone injections in hospital and have been doing so for years."

WRH also supplied examples of other hospitals in the province including Timmins and District Hospital and North Bay Regional Health Centre which also charge the same fee.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health confirmed to CBC News that while the cortisone itself is covered under OHIP, the act of injecting it is only covered for in-patients. It is not covered if the shot is administered as an outpatient procedure.

Hannona received the shots in Windsor as an outpatient, but she said she also received the shots as an outpatient in Barrie too.

Barrie hospital says it simply absorbs the cost

A spokesperson for the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie told CBC News they absorb the cost of the injection because they feel the expense is minimal.

David Musyj refused a request for an interview to answer why WRH doesn't have the same policy.

We have confirmed with other Erie St. Clair Hospitals that they also charge the $25 fee, or more, for cortisone injections in hospital and have been doing so for years.- David Musyj, CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital

Hannona said she has complained to the patient advocate at WRH but is unhappy with the results. 

Meanwhile, she will file a request for an investigation under the provincial Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act (CFMA) over the billing practice.

"I know my rights and I'm going to exercise them," said Hannona.

Musyj said, in the future, cortisone injections will be listed next to de-listed items on the WRH website.