The group OHIP For All is stepping up its campaign to have health benefits extended to recent immigrants, refugees, foreign workers and international students.
It's asking the public to sign an open letter addressed to Premier Kathleen Wynne and Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins calling for an end to the three-month waiting period before those Ontarians are eligible for OHIP.
Co-chair of the London Health Coalition Jeff Hanks says some people have received huge bills for care, while others have died waiting for that three months to lapse.
"In 2009, a gentleman had colon cancer, and he was denied life-saving treatment," says Hanks. "There was a couple with twins that born prematurely, and they were in the three-month limbo period, so they got a bill for $22,000."
In the long-run, Hanks fears the province could end up paying out more in health care costs while people get sicker waiting for benefits to kick in. He also says Ontario may be putting vulnerable populations at risk.
"In just takes one person who -- they get the flu or something and then vulnerable people catch it, and it becomes an epidemic," he says. "One outbreak of one disease, just because we didn't treat people could cost in the millions of dollars."
In the letter, the group says clinics for the uninsured have proliferated, "Though serving a crucial function with limited resources, these services are neither comprehensive nor sustainable."
Hanks says 200,000 people are believed to be living in Ontario without access to benefits.
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