MONTREAL – Quebec’s ombudsman has suggested a review of the MUHC’s parking fees before the end of November.
The recommendation comes after the MUHC’s Users’ Committee filed a complaint to the ombudsman back in September.
READ MORE: MUHC Users’ Committee takes high parking fees complaint to Quebec Ombudsman
The committee has been lobbying since March to lower parking fees.
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They’ve had some success, but said the fees are still too high.
The ombudsman agreed it’s an accessibility issue and is proposing special passes for frequent users, as well as lower parking fees.
“It’s basically on the principle that, even if parking is not a health service by itself, for people who have to go to the hospital quite often, it might become a road block or hinder your access to health services,” said Deputy ombudsman Claude Dussault.
The Patients’ Committee said it sees the review as a victory.
“We’re also happy about the feedback received by the MUHC,” said Mario Di Carlo, co-chair of the MUHC Patient’s Committee.
“There’s a collaborative spirit to try to find solutions that will satisfy the patients.”
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But the hospital still has to cover the cost of building the parking facilities, a whopping $266 million, and the committee worries patients will feel the pinch.
Although Quebec’s Health Minister Gaétan Barrette acknowledges the issue, he is staying out of it.
“They can modify their fees, they can adapt their fees to the clinical situation of a given patient, I think that’s the way they have to go,” said Barrete.
“But it is their prerogative, their responsibility to tackle that, but it is not myself who will tackle that.”
Regardless, everyone’s optimistic that in the end, patients will get another break at the hospital gates.
“Ninety per cent of the time hospitals take our recommendations,” said Dussault.
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