Ontario Health Coalition Files Complaints Over Illegal Cataract Surgery Fees

The Ontario Health Coalition, together with affected patients, has filed formal complaints alleging illegal user fees for cataract surgeries at private clinics in Ontario. The coalition has compiled evidence from 50 patients, although it has received over 200 complaints in the past year.

Senior Patients Charged Excessive Fees

“These represent only a small fraction of the number of patients who are facing charges of hundreds to thousands of dollars when they go for cataract surgery in the private clinics,” the coalition stated.

“Without question, patients – many of whom are elderly and on fixed incomes – are being exploited,” said Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Coalition. “They are being charged hundreds or even thousands of dollars… Some have even had to go back to work long after retirement to pay for their surgeries. This should never happen in Canada.”

Legal Protections Under the Canada Health Act

The Canada Health Act explicitly prohibits user charges and extra billing for medically necessary surgeries, including cataract operations. This includes coverage for:

       • Eye measurements

       • Specialty lenses

       • Physician appointments

       • Follow-up care

Selling priority access (“queue jumping”) is also forbidden under the Act. The Coalition notes that most patients receive cataract surgery within 3½ months for urgent cases and 7 months for non-urgent cases.

Personal Accounts Highlight Severe Financial Burden

During the press conference, patients shared their experiences:

       • Maureen Munro (London): Diagnosed with macular degeneration, she was told she must pay nearly $7,000 or face a 2‑year wait.

       • David Kauk (Kitchener‑Waterloo): Charged $250 for eye measurements and $1,100 per eye for surgery.

Escalating Costs and Aggressive Billing Tactics

The Coalition has sent two open letters—one to Ontario’s Health Minister Sylvia Jones, and another to Federal Health Minister Marjorie Mitchell—detailing the surge in illegal billing.

“In context, we have tracked extra billing and user fees for decades. What we are seeing now is the worst we have ever seen,” wrote Mehra. “Elderly patients are now being charged up to $11,000… Some describe these charges as taking their entire savings… Others have had to return to work when they are more than 70 years old to pay their bills.”

She added that clinics are using “coercive and manipulative tactics” to upsell unnecessary services.

Coalition Calls for Government Action

The Ontario Health Coalition is urging immediate action:

       • The Ontario government must stop private clinics from charging illegal fees.

       • The Federal government needs to enforce the Canada Health Act to protect seniors and preserve public health care standards.

This coordinated effort marks a critical call to safeguard equity and prevent financial abuse in vital eye care services.