Plan to send B.C. cancer patients to U.S. for treatment gets mixed reaction

A day after B.C.'s health minister announced that some patients with B prostate or breast cancer will head to the U.S. for treatment, the opposition and a patient are saying this is a Band-Aid solution for a more complex problem.

On Monday Adrian Dix said staffing shortages, a need to upgrade equipment and more diagnoses of cancer necessitated a short-term solution. Starting May 29 and for two years, up to 50 B.C. residents per week could be sent south of the border for no-cost treatment.

Leah Rowntree was recently diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. While on a holiday to the United States, a friend urged her to get scans. Rowntree said those diagnostics revealed how urgent her case is.

"If I survive this one of the reasons will be that I had the scans I needed in an appropriate amount of time," she told CTV News.

She believes timing is critical and although she still has chemotherapy and surgery, she said if the opportunity was there, she'd go back to the U.S. for treatment.

"Absolutely I would do whatever is the fastest because that would give me the best outcome. And at the same time, I'd be crying as I packed my bags to leave my family and friends and my home to go down for treatment," Rowntree, who was choked up at the thought, added.

Data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information shows radiation treatment waits are getting longer. In 2020, 90 per cent of patients got treated within 28 days, the health minister says that's now under 83 per cent. What that means is hundreds of people with a cancer diagnosis are waiting longer than a month.

BC United health critic Shirley Bond said she has raised the issue with the government several times.

"We see long waits to get your diagnosis, long waits to see your oncologist and now you may have to leave the country to get treatment. I think it's a significant indictment of the deterioration of cancer care," Bond said.

At an unrelated event, Premier David Eby disagreed. He said the health minister saw the demand for cancer care growing and so came up with a solution.

"From my perspective, from the perspective of our government – anything we can do to ensure they get urgent care, and the care that is medically recommended for them in the timeframes that are required is essential," Eby added.

Rowntree had a different reaction.

"I just think my God, it shows just how broken our healthcare system is."

In a statement, the health ministry said up to $39 million is available per year to fund the treatment, and that amount includes contingencies for unplanned costs.

This is what the ministry says will be covered for patients:

• Travel by plane, car or ferry
• Meals (per diem in alignment with PHSA’s Travel and Business Expense Policy)
• Accommodation
• Ambulance fees related to their radiation therapy care
• Laboratory and medical imaging tests during the treatment duration, exclusing genetic testing
• Prescription drugs, including supportive care medications required during the treatment duration
• Patient immobilization devices required for radiation therapy treatment
• Services provided by non-physician professionals (e.g. Registered Dietitian, Psychiatry, etc.)

A companion will be also be able to claim travel, meals and accommodation.

Anyone traveling will be responsible for securing documentation like passports and visas.