People living with Hep C, especially if they are going through treatment, may have difficulty working if their illness becomes severe or the side effects of treatment become difficult. Different programs are available to help cover living costs for people in these situations.
In Ontario, financial assistance is available for eligible people through Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). If a person needs help with food or rent because they cannot work for whatever reason, the application process can be started at a local welfare office. The application can be processed as quickly as two or three days for OW; for ODSP, it can take as long as three to six months. People can be on OW while they wait for ODSP. Neither program gives out a lot of money, but they can help pay for food, shelter and medical expenses, including transportation costs and medications (through the Ontario Drug Benefit Program).
Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
CPP is normally for people who have retired from working, but if a person has a medical disability, he or she may be able to receive monthly pensions before turning 65 from CPP Disability. A person must have worked in the past and paid CPP contributions (this is a standard deduction on most paychecks). The application must be accompanied by a detailed medical assessment confirming the medical condition. Often a person must appeal a negative decision for CPP disability before the application is approved.
Employment Insurance (EI)
EI is a program for people who have stopped working because they were laid off, had a baby or are too sick to work. Eligibility is based on the number of hours a person has worked, whether they have been on EI before, and what the unemployment rate is. It is usually a shorter-term program but can help while people are waiting for other programs, such as disability pensions. EI Regular Benefits can last almost a year while EI Sick Benefits generally last about 15 weeks. The amount of money a person can receive is based on a percentage of their income from their most recent job.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Many employers have employee benefits that can provide short-term disability benefits or a disability pension. Some may even have EAPs that provide counselling and financial planning. The person should enquire through the personnel or HR department. All such enquiries are kept confidential but the employee will have to disclose some personal medical information.
People may have acquired Hep C through blood transfusions. Major lawsuits have resulted in compensation packages for people (or their families) who were first infected with hepatitis C from the blood supply. The compensation packages may provide lump sum payments, a subsidy for lost income, or repayment of medical expenses. It is worth noting that few people who have used injection drug-use equipment have ever received a compensation award. The application process is described on the websites below, which are differentiated based on year of infection:
www.pre86post90settlement.ca/index.htm
The Pre-1986/Post-1990 Hepatitis C Settlement Agreement is for the benefit of people infected with hepatitis C through the blood system in Canada prior to January 1, 1986 or between July 2, 1990 and September 28, 1998, and certain members of their families.
www.hepc8690.com
The Hepatitis C (HCV) January 1, 1986–July 1, 1990 Class Actions Settlement is for the benefit of people who were infected with HCV for the first time through blood, blood products or blood transfusions during this period, and certain members of their families.
www.kpmg.ca/en/ms/hepatitisc/index.html
If a person received blood anywhere in Canada prior to January 1, 1986 and between July 1, 1990 and September 28, 1998 inclusively, and this blood was contaminated with the HCV, the person, or members of his or her family, may be eligible to receive compensation under the Canadian Red Cross Settlement.
Provincial Hepatitis Assistance Plans
Four provinces have set up provincial assistance plans to provide financial compensation to people infected by Hep C through the blood supply. They are Ontario, BC, Manitoba and Quebec.
In Ontario, this program is called the Ontario Hepatitis C Assistance Plan (OHCAP) and it provides financial assistance to people who are eligible. The program applies to people who were infected with hepatitis C by receiving blood or blood products, and to certain members of their family.
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