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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 1/2018

01-02-2018 | Review Paper

Health Inequity and “Restoring Fairness” Through the Canadian Refugee Health Policy Reforms: A Literature Review

Authors: Valentina Antonipillai, Andrea Baumann, Andrea Hunter, Olive Wahoush, Timothy O’Shea

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Refugees and refugee claimants experience increased health needs upon arrival in Canada. The Federal Government funded the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) since 1957, ensuring comprehensive healthcare insurance for all refugees and refugee claimants seeking protection in Canada. Over the past 4 years, the Canadian government implemented restrictions to essential healthcare services through retrenchments to the IFHP. This paper will review the IFHP, in conjunction with other immigration policies, to explore the issues associated with providing inequitable access to healthcare for refugee populations. It will examine changes made to the IFHP in 2012 and in response to the federal court decision in 2014. Findings of the review indicate that the retrenchments to the 2012 IFHP instigated health outcome disparities, social exclusion and increased costs for vulnerable refugee populations. The 2014 reforms reinstated some services; however the policy continued to produce inequitable healthcare access for some refugees and refugee claimants.
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Metadata
Title
Health Inequity and “Restoring Fairness” Through the Canadian Refugee Health Policy Reforms: A Literature Review
Authors
Valentina Antonipillai
Andrea Baumann
Andrea Hunter
Olive Wahoush
Timothy O’Shea
Publication date
01-02-2018
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 1/2018
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0486-z

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