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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
AISH recipients panicked over looming provincial deadline: health providers
Health providers say people who receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) are calling them in a panic over a letter from the province that threatens to cut their benefits if they don't meet a September deadline. The providers tasked with filling out the forms for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and Canada Disability Benefits (CDB) say they are overwhelmed by the calls and confusion over the deadline set by the province. A copy of the letter obtained by CBC News states that AISH clients are "required to access all sources of income they may be eligible for, including federal programs." The letter tells clients to update their local AISH office about the status of their DTC and CDB applications prior to Sept. 5, 2025. "Clients who have not communicated the status of their CDB application to their AISH office prior to September 5, 2025, may see an equivalent amount to the CDB benefit, $200, deducted from their monthly AISH benefits, beginning with the October 2025 period of assistance," reads the letter. The province plans to keep AISH payments at the same amount but take back the $200 monthly amount for the federal benefit. The Alberta government has said it has the highest payments in Canada and exceeds the minimum set by the federal government. WATCH | Why AISH recipients won't get extra money from a new federal disability benefit: AISH recipients, who receive $1,901 a month from the province, say they are being forced to pay upfront for the medical evaluations in order to apply for the benefits. Ivy Hays, from Coronation, has received AISH benefits for nearly 20 years due to a number of permanent health issues that resulted from a massive heart attack in her late 30s. Hays said her physician is charging $400 to fill out the medical form for the DTC application. She said she asked to pay the clinic in instalments but the office insisted she had to pay the entire cost upfront. "My heart hit the floor," Hays said. "I have no living family. I have no way to come up with that $400." Her AISH caseworker arranged for a loan that she could pay back over a series of months, but Hays said she has learned the form will still take at least two months for the physician to fill out, taking her past the Sept. 5 deadline. At an unrelated news conference on Thursday, Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon said his government isn't expecting AISH recipients to complete the federal application process by September 5. Nixon said they are required to check in with their caseworker by that date and update them on where they're at with their application. "We will not be cutting off AISH benefits in September if people are still working through their process with the federal government," he said. 'Very sad' Patty Wilson, a nurse practitioner in Calgary, said her clinic is getting deluged with calls from patients with disabilities worried they will miss the September deadline. Others are concerned they received the letter because they did something wrong. "I'm sad, very sad, for my patients, as well, that this is another hurdle that they have to jump through, another added stressor they have to go through," Wilson said in an interview. Wilson estimates each form takes her about two to three hours to fill out. There are so many people in the queue, Wilson said she'd be lucky to get all them done by September 2026 She already has a one-year wait list for people needing medical forms to get AISH. Dr. Ginetta Silvalaggio, a family physician in Edmonton, said the forms have contributed to her working more hours. While she is managing to keep up at the moment, she worries what will happen by the end of August as the deadline creeps closer. Silvalaggio said she can't understand why the province is taking this action when it ended the last fiscal year with an $8.3 billion surplus. "Why target the disabled community in particular in the name of saving a buck?" she asked. "There's a lot of distress because the time frames are so tight." Research A new brief from the Disability Policy Research Program at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy compiled reaction to the changes from 241 AISH recipients who were allowed to stay anonymous so they could speak freely. If they could keep the Canada Disability Benefit, respondents said they would use that $200 to buy more and healthier groceries, pay for prescriptions not covered by health benefits, and cover rent increases in market housing. Others spoke about the ability to set aside $5 or $10 a month for a small emergency fund or even have the ability to leave their apartment. "I'm housebound because transportation is too expensive," a respondent from Edmonton wrote. "I feel trapped and being able to get out once in a while would be life-changing." Another respondent said the extra money would allow them to live with more independence and dignity "For someone relying on AISH, $200 isn't just money; it represents hope, stability, and a chance to live with real choices." Senior research associate Brittany Finley was involved in the report, which was an initiative of the Disability Policy Research Program and eight organizations across the province, including Inclusion Alberta, Disability Action Hall, Alberta Ability Network and Inclusion Grande Prairie. Finley said the responses showed that people on AISH believe the government is leaving them behind. "You don't feel that you're being valued as a citizen in the province where you were born and where you live," she said. "And I think that just makes people feel like they've lost hope." The brief recommends that the province abandon the CDB clawback and help AISH recipients apply for the Disability Tax Credit.
CBC
3 days ago
- Health
- CBC
AISH recipients panicked over looming provincial deadline: health providers
Health providers say people who receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) are calling them in a panic over a letter from the province that threatens to cut their benefits if they don't meet a September deadline. The providers tasked with filling out the forms for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and Canada Disability Benefits (CDB) say they are overwhelmed by the calls and confusion over the deadline set by the province. A copy of the letter obtained by CBC News states that AISH clients are "required to access all sources of income they may be eligible for, including federal programs." The letter tells clients to update their local AISH office about the status of their DTC and CDB applications prior to Sept. 5, 2025. "Clients who have not communicated the status of their CDB application to their AISH office prior to September 5, 2025, may see an equivalent amount to the CDB benefit, $200, deducted from their monthly AISH benefits, beginning with the October 2025 period of assistance," reads the letter. The province plans to keep AISH payments at the same amount but take back the $200 monthly amount for the federal benefit. The Alberta government has said it has the highest payments in Canada and exceeds the minimum set by the federal government. Why AISH recipients won't get extra money from a new federal disability benefit 4 months ago The federal government is rolling out a new Canada Disability Benefit this summer, but qualified recipients in Alberta won't see the extra money if they already receive payments under AISH. As Travis McEwan reports, it's frustrating some Albertans. AISH recipients, who receive $1,901 a month from the province, say they are being forced to pay upfront for the medical evaluations in order to apply for the benefits. Ivy Hays, from Coronation, has received AISH benefits for nearly 20 years due to a number of permanent health issues that resulted from a massive heart attack in her late 30s. Hays said her physician is charging $400 to fill out the medical form for the DTC application. She said she asked to pay the clinic in instalments but the office insisted she had to pay the entire cost upfront. "My heart hit the floor," Hays said. "I have no living family. I have no way to come up with that $400." Her AISH caseworker arranged for a loan that she could pay back over a series of months, but Hays said she has learned the form will still take at least two months for the physician to fill out, taking her past the Sept. 5 deadline. At an unrelated news conference on Thursday, Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon said his government isn't expecting AISH recipients to complete the federal application process by September 5. Nixon said they are required to check in with their caseworker by that date and update them on where they're at with their application. "We will not be cutting off AISH benefits in September if people are still working through their process with the federal government," he said. 'Very sad' Patty Wilson, a nurse practitioner in Calgary, said her clinic is getting deluged with calls from patients with disabilities worried they will miss the September deadline. Others are concerned they received the letter because they did something wrong. "I'm sad, very sad, for my patients, as well, that this is another hurdle that they have to jump through, another added stressor they have to go through," Wilson said in an interview. Wilson estimates each form takes her about two to three hours to fill out. There are so many people in the queue, Wilson said she'd be lucky to get all them done by September 2026 She already has a one-year wait list for people needing medical forms to get AISH. Dr. Ginetta Silvalaggio, a family physician in Edmonton, said the forms have contributed to her working more hours. While she is managing to keep up at the moment, she worries what will happen by the end of August as the deadline creeps closer. Silvalaggio said she can't understand why the province is taking this action when it ended the last fiscal year with an $8.3 billion surplus. "Why target the disabled community in particular in the name of saving a buck?" she asked. "There's a lot of distress because the time frames are so tight." Research A new brief from the Disability Policy Research Program at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy compiled reaction to the changes from 241 AISH recipients who were allowed to stay anonymous so they could speak freely. If they could keep the Canada Disability Benefit, respondents said they would use that $200 to buy more and healthier groceries, pay for prescriptions not covered by health benefits, and cover rent increases in market housing. Others spoke about the ability to set aside $5 or $10 a month for a small emergency fund or even have the ability to leave their apartment. "I'm housebound because transportation is too expensive," a respondent from Edmonton wrote. "I feel trapped and being able to get out once in a while would be life-changing." Another respondent said the extra money would allow them to live with more independence and dignity "For someone relying on AISH, $200 isn't just money; it represents hope, stability, and a chance to live with real choices." Senior research associate Brittany Finley was involved in the report, which was an initiative of the Disability Policy Research Program and eight organizations across the province, including Inclusion Alberta, Disability Action Hall, Alberta Ability Network and Inclusion Grande Prairie. Finley said the responses showed that people on AISH believe the government is leaving them behind. "You don't feel that you're being valued as a citizen in the province where you were born and where you live," she said. "And I think that just makes people feel like they've lost hope."
Winnipeg Free Press
21-06-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Unlocking ‘gateway benefit'
Opinion Michelle MacIver didn't hear about the many government benefits available for her son, who has a disability, from a financial institution or a family physician. Rather, she heard about them through word of mouth. 'I was talking to other parents who told me about the DTC (Disability Tax Credit),' says the Portage la Prairie mother of two young boys. That began a multi-year journey of navigating doctor's offices, government websites, social media and various organizations to understand not just how to apply for the credit, but also whether her son would even qualify. 'There is a lot of misinformation — like people on social media telling me my son wouldn't qualify,' she says, noting it took two years before she finally sent the 16-page tax document to Canada Revenue Agency. MacIver's glad she did. Not only does the credit provide more than $3,000 in tax savings annually, provincial and federal, it is also the 'gateway benefit,' she says. It leads to other programs aimed at providing financial support for Canadians with disabilities and their families, such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). Those qualifying for the credit will also be eligible for the new Canada Disability Tax Benefit, which starts next month, paying adults with disabilities up to $200 a month, depending on family net income. While that won't help the MacIver family, given her son is nine years old, it will be a small boost to many Canadians with disabilities. The poverty rate for people with disabilities is about twice the national average, according to Campaign 2000: End Child and Family Poverty. What's more, they face larger costs. The cost of living is estimated to be about 30 per cent higher, given many require additional medical equipment and supportive care, a study from Inclusion Canada found. Federal and provincial disability benefit programs are designed to help address these issues, but many are underused, including the gateway tax credit DTC. A Statistics Canada report estimates most Canadians with disabilities have not received the credit. Take-up among those with the most severe impairments is only about four in 10. Use is estimated at about only about 20 per cent for those with severe disabilities, a little more than 10 per cent for Canadian moderate impairments and less than five per cent for people with mild disabilities. These Canadians are not only missing out tax savings; they are forgoing tens of thousands of government monies to help them save for the future through an RDSP. 'It's not being maximized well at all,' says Sara Kinnear, Winnipeg-based director of tax and estate planning at IG Wealth Management. She points to the low take-up of the RDSP, which provides annual grants and bonds to individuals with disabilities age 49 and younger. Statistics Canada data shows the use rate is about 35 per cent. That likely does not reflect the total number of disabled Canadians missing out because the gateway DTC, necessary to open an RDSP, has a much lower take-up rate. One key reason for the low usage is the complexity involved in being approved for the DTC, says Liss Cairns, program manager with the Plan Institute in Vancouver, a non-profit that supports people with disabilities. Applying for the credit is complicated, requiring a health-care provider to fill out and sign the form to confirm an individual's disability. Many physicians now charge fees in the hundreds of dollars to do so, though Cairns adds new federal funding will help cover those costs. Other challenges include public perception, especially for the RDSP. Another issue is awareness even for individuals, who have the DTC and are eligible to open an RDSP. 'Many think, 'What value is this for me? I can't save anything,'' Cairns says. Even individuals who cannot contribute their own money to an RDSP could be missing out. They may be eligible for the Canada disability savings bond whereby the federal government contributes $1,000 annually to their RDSP to a lifetime maximum of $20,000. Of course, individuals and their families able to contribute to an RDSP are eligible for the Canada disability savings grant. A matching grant, it provides up to $3,500 annually from the feds ($3 of benefit for every $1 contributed) to a lifetime maximum of $70,000. Both the bond and grant are pared back gradually as household net income rises. The bond is eliminated when income exceeds about $56,000, and the matching grant is reduced to $1,000 maximum per year when income exceeds about $111,000. 'Overall, it's a great program, but it's also probably the most complicated registered program,' Kinnear says, noting individuals must be wary of early withdrawals for the plan. Money withdrawn from an RDSP within 10 years of the last grant or bond may be subject to steep penalties, she adds. It's also important to start as soon as possible not only because money in the RDSP can compound tax-free. Grants and bonds can only be received up to age 49 though individuals can contribute to their plan up to age 59. 'The design is really to provide retirement savings for these individuals,' Kinnear says, adding all financial institutions can help set up an RDSP. Another resource is the Plan Institute. MacIver leaned on the organization, which provides free assistance, to access the gateway DTC, which allowed her to open the RDSP for her son. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Today, she is a word-of-mouth advocate, helping other parents of children with disabilities. 'Generally, their response is: 'I had no idea this all existed.'' But they're often elated they do exist. If only these many programs were easier to access. 'We know it can be very complex and overwhelming,' Cairns says. 'But we also see the amazing financial empowerment that this can bring.' Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist joelschles@
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Canada's new $200/month disability benefit goes live; Apply by June 30 to get paid in July
Canada's new disability benefit program begins accepting applications on June 20, 2025, offering up to $2,400 annually to eligible Canadians with disabilities who have the Disability Tax Credit. Backed by significant federal funding, the program aims to enhance financial security, with first payments scheduled for July 2025 for approved early applicants. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Canada's new disability benefit program is now accepting applications, with the first payments scheduled for July 2025. Canadians aged 18 to 64 who have already qualified for the Disability Tax Credit ( DTC ) and who filed their 2024 tax return, along with any spouse or partner, can open on Friday, June 20, 2025. Those submitted and approved by June 30 will receive their first payments in approved later will still receive their full entitlements, including back payments to June, but no program offers up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year, with annual inflation adjustments. This amount will be reduced for higher-income and territories (except Alberta) have committed not to claw back existing disability of the federal Disability Inclusion Action Plan , the benefit aims to boost financial security for over 600,000 low-income Canadians with disabilities. It is backed by $6.1 billion over six years, with ongoing $1.4 billion annually, starting in individuals approved for the DTC will receive a letter in June with a unique code and application instructions. However, even without a letter, applicants can still apply by providing their Social Insurance Number and 2024 net incomeApplications are available online, by phone, or in person at Service Canada locations. An estimate tool is also available to help applicants calculate their expected monthly federal government is partnering with community organizations to assist applicants in navigating both the DTC and the Disability Benefit. Direct deposit is encouraged for faster Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged that the benefit was not designed to fully sustain recipients. She said it provides increased financial autonomy and can be used flexibly alongside other income.
Economic Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Canada's new $200/month disability benefit goes live; Apply by June 30 to get paid in July
Canada's new disability benefit program begins accepting applications on June 20, 2025, offering up to $2,400 annually to eligible Canadians with disabilities who have the Disability Tax Credit. Backed by significant federal funding, the program aims to enhance financial security, with first payments scheduled for July 2025 for approved early applicants. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Canada's new disability benefit program is now accepting applications, with the first payments scheduled for July 2025. Canadians aged 18 to 64 who have already qualified for the Disability Tax Credit ( DTC ) and who filed their 2024 tax return, along with any spouse or partner, can open on Friday, June 20, 2025. Those submitted and approved by June 30 will receive their first payments in approved later will still receive their full entitlements, including back payments to June, but no program offers up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year, with annual inflation adjustments. This amount will be reduced for higher-income and territories (except Alberta) have committed not to claw back existing disability of the federal Disability Inclusion Action Plan , the benefit aims to boost financial security for over 600,000 low-income Canadians with disabilities. It is backed by $6.1 billion over six years, with ongoing $1.4 billion annually, starting in individuals approved for the DTC will receive a letter in June with a unique code and application instructions. However, even without a letter, applicants can still apply by providing their Social Insurance Number and 2024 net incomeApplications are available online, by phone, or in person at Service Canada locations. An estimate tool is also available to help applicants calculate their expected monthly federal government is partnering with community organizations to assist applicants in navigating both the DTC and the Disability Benefit. Direct deposit is encouraged for faster Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged that the benefit was not designed to fully sustain recipients. She said it provides increased financial autonomy and can be used flexibly alongside other income.
