Dialysis patients protest parking fees

[okarol]

Dialysis patients protest parking fees

Posted By FIONA ISAACSON
Posted 1 day ago

Arny Goldman says it isn't fair and he's considering stopping his treatment in protest.

The Millbrook man has to pay $35 a month for parking for the life-saving dialysis treatment he receives three times a week at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

"They're discriminating against us, the sick," Goldman told The Examiner yesterday.

Dialysis "is not a cure, only a treatment," he said.

Goldman sent a petition to PRHC signed by 14 dialysis patients protesting the parking fees because many have fixed incomes. He said he's also upset because other people are parking in designated dialysis patient spots.

Standing in the hospital parking lot yesterday, Goldman displayed seven parking tickets he's received so far. His parking pass expired in March and he's refusing to renew, calling the policy discriminatory.

"It's totally wrong to be charged," Goldman said.

He said he owes about $100 in fines.

"I've spoken to hundreds of people. Not one person believes we should have to pay to park for our treatment."

Eric Lodgins, PRHC's director of hospitality services, said the hospital is sympathetic and understands and many "patients may not have the ability to pay for parking.

"But ... you have to be fair and consistent to all visitors and patients. The reality is we do charge for parking at PRHC much like every hospital in Ontario does in order for use to come up with funding for patient care expenses."

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Oncology and dialysis patients receive a parking discount from the typical $60 a month, Lodgins said.

Security will ask people parking in designated areas without paying to leave, he said.

Lodgins said he hasn't spoken to Goldman since the petition was delivered and would be happy to speak with him if he wants "clarification."

Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal said he's received a copy of Goldman's petition but said the hospital can do want it wants.

Leal, who used to sit on the board of the former St. Joseph's Hospital, said parking is always an issue, but the revenue is used for hospital operations.

Dialysis patient George Nemisz has hundreds of dollars of parking tickets because he's never paid to park since he started treatment last August. Nemisz has to drive 140 kilometres three times a week and can't afford a home phone.

"It's crazy. It doesn't make sense," Nemisz said about the parking fees.

Parking fees is like "older people paying for pills, it's not fair," he said.

fisaacson@peterboroughexaminer.com

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1025281&auth=FIONA+ISAACSON
PHOTO: Arny Goldman is angry that he has to pay for parking at Peterborough Regional Health Centre when he goes for his dialysis treatment and is holding some of the parking tickets he's received for parking in designated spots without paying. Goldman sent a petition to the hospital asking for the fees to be waived. -- Fiona Isaacson, Examiner

[monrein]

Man, I wish I could get a $35 monthly pass.  At the Toronto General parking is $25 a day, maximum, and you reach that after about three hours.  We do however have good public transit but if one is immunnosuppressed and on dialysis that's an awful lot of germy exposure. 

[flip]

This is mind boggling to me. My center has ample free parking plus all dialysis patients who drive are given permits to park in the handicapped spots next to the building.

[UNIBALLER]

In Kingston the Kidney Foundation has provided 12 parking spots right next to the hospital door for permit holders. The permits are free of charge from the foundation and are more of an id card for the hospital security and are only for dialysis patients.

I'm quite surprised to read that story and to read that Monrein has to pay for parking when we all live in the same province and the clinics are all roughly 2 hours drive apart and all fall under the same foundation. I was made to understand that the foundation provides this for all patients not just a select few.

[monrein]

It is a bit mind boggling, but just to bring some balance.....I pay not a dime for visits to the ER, for all procedures, surgeries, dialysis, transplant, lab work and my donor (even if from out of province )will have all costs covered also.  We do pay quite high taxes but we get a lot for them in my opinion and I have never resented paying my share.  I also have medication coverage based on my current income and that is a huge relief.  At the self-care clinic I believe the parking is paid for.
In contrast, my sister lives in Florida and pays way less taxes but can barely afford her health insurance and has a huge deductible anyway if she ever uses it.  

Uniballer.  The TGH dialysis patients can get free transportation from Wheeltrans if they can't take public transit.  The issue is that the parking is extremely limited at TGH since it is right downtown, in close proximity to 3 other hospitals and the dialysis program is quite large as I understand it.  The Kidney Foundation has an Ontario branch but there is also the Toronto branch, separate from the Kingston branch and those permits may be issued by the local branches.  I asked the social worker about the parking for the period until I go to the self-care clinic and was told that there are unfortunately no subsidies for parking at the TGH.

[UNIBALLER]

I commented about the foundation before I verified my information   and made an assumption that was incorrect.