APPEAL# I PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (ministry) reconsideration decision dated October 1, 2014 which denied the appellant's request for a bath mat because it was not an item set out in the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), Schedule C, and the appellant is not eligible for a supplement under Section 69 of the EAPWDR. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), sections 62 and 69, and Schedule C, subsections 3 and 3.1 -3.12, 2(1)(a},(a.1),(a.2}, 2(1)(c}, 2(2), 2(2.1), 2.2, 4, 4.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. PART E -Summary of Facts The appellant did not attend the hearing at the scheduled start time. The panel waited 15 minutes before commencing and as the appellant was notified of the date, time and location of the hearing, the hearing proceeded under s. 86(b) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation. After the hearing concluded, and the ministry representative had left, the appellant arrived, acknowledging she was late. The appellant expressed her disappointment and became verbally abusive. She was asked to leave the room and informed she would receive the decision in writing within 2 to 3 weeks. On August 7, 2014 the ministry received a request for repairs to the appellant's commode and for a bath mat. The request was submitted by a home health products provider. On August 21, 2014 the appellant was advised that the request for a bath mat was denied because it is not an item set out in the EAPWDR, Schedule C, subsection 3 and 3.1 -.3.12. On September 17, 2014 the appellant submitted a Request for Reconsideration to the ministry. With the Request for Reconsideration was included a Request for Aids or Adaptions dated September 15, 2014 completed by an occupational therapist (OT). The OT reported that: • The appellant is experiencing increased difficulty with shower transfers and mild unsteadiness with standing balance without supports. They recently applied for wall mounted grab bars in the tub shower to facilitate safe sit to stand shower transfers, but have not heard back with a decision (faxed on July 28, 2014). EAAT003(10/06/01)
• W i t h t h e e x p e c t a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w i l l b e a r e i n p l a c e , i t i s e s s e n t i a l f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o s u r f a c e t o r e d u c e h e r r i s k o f s l i p p i n g a n d f a l l i q u i t e s l i p p e r y w h e n w e t a n d s o a p y . • T h e a p p e l l a n t h a s a b a t h l i f t i n p l a c e , b u t w o u s t a n d u p s a f e l y t o r i n s e . • P a s t m e d i c a l h i s t o r y i n c l u d e s s p a s t i c c e r e b r a • T h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e d a n o n s l i p b a t h m a t t o • T h e a p p e l l a n t w a s m o t i v a t e d t o r e m a i n a t h o m A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e m i n i s t r y a d v i s e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a t u b s h o w e r h a d b e e n a p p r o v e d . T h i s a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c r e c o r d s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y i n r e s p e c t i n t h e d e c i s i o n T h e r e w a s n o a d d i t i o n a l e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e p a n e l f h e a r i n g . H o w e v e r , i n h e r n o t i c e o f a p p e a l t h e a p p e l l m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n -1 : b e c a u s e I w i T h e [ h o m e h e a l t h p r o d u c t s p r o v i d e r ] s a y s i t ' s t h e o n T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e O T r e p o r t e d t h e a p p e l l a n t h u n s t e a d i n e s s w i t h s t a n d i n g b a l a n c e w i t h o u t s u p p o r t t u b s h o w e r t o r e d u c e t h e r i s k o f s l i p p i n g a n d f a l l i n g . s h e i s a b l e t o s t a n d u p s a f e l y t o r i n s e . A n o n s l i p b a s h o w e r . T h e a p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n a p p r o v e d f o r t h e i n s h o w e r t o f a c i l i t a t e s a f e s i t t o s t a n d s h o w e r t r a n s f e r s EM T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I s t a n d i n g m o r e i n t h e s h o w e r o n c e t h e g r a b b a r s h a v e a n o n s l i p t u b m a t o n h e r t u b s h o w e r n g . T h e t u b i s a s t a n d a r d s t e e l t u b w h i c h c a n b e l d g e t a m o r e t h o r o u g h c l e a n s e i f s h e w a s a b l e t o l p a l s y a n d r e c u r r e n t u r i n a r y t r a c t i n f e c t i o n s . o p t i m i z e h e r s a f e t y i n t h e s h o w e r . e f o r a s l o n g a s p o s s i b l e . n t ' s a p p l i c a t i o n f o r w a l l m o u n t e d g r a b b a r s i n t h e m a t i o n w a s a d m i t t e d a t t h e h e a r i n g p u r s u a n t t o t ( E A A ) a s i t w a s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d a p p e a l e d f r o m . r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t a s s h e d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e a n t s t a t e d : T e l l u s w h y y o u d i s a g r e e w i t h t h e l l p r o b a b l y n e e d t o g e t a t l e a s t o n e c r i s i s g r a n t 2 : l y s a f e o n e f o r m y b a t h l i f t . a s d i f f i c u l t y w i t h s h o w e r t r a n s f e r s a n d m i l d s . T h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e s a n o n s l i p t u b m a t i n h e r T h e a p p e l l a n t w i l l g e t a m o r e t h r o u g h c l e a n s e i f t h m a t w o u l d o p t i m i z e t h e b a l a n c e s a f e t y i n t h e s t a l l a t i o n o f t h e w a l l m o u n t e d g r a b b a r s i n t h e t u b .
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n i s w h e t h e r t h e m i n i s t r y ' s b a t h m a t b e c a u s e a b a t h m a t i s n o t a n i t e m t h a t i s s a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r a s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s e c t b y t h e e v i d e n c e o r a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e a a p p e l l a n t . T h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n r e c e i p t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e . T s u p p l e m e n t s u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 2 a n d S c h e d u l e C o f t h S c h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P W D R , s e c t i o n 3 , s e t s o u t t h e a s f o l l o w s : 3 . M e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t a n d d e v i c e s ( 1 ) S u b j e c t t o s u b s e c t i o n s ( 2 ) t o ( 5 ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n , t s e c t i o n s 3 . 1 t o 3 . 1 2 o f t h i s S c h e d u l e a r e t h e h e a l t h s i f ( a ) t h e s u p p l e m e n t s a r e p r o v i d e d t o a f a m i l y u n i t s u p p l e m e n t s ] o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n , a n d ( b ) a l l o f t h e f o l l o w i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e m e t : ( i ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t h a s r e c e i v e d t h e p r e a u e q u i p m e n t o r d e v i c e r e q u e s t e d ; ( i i ) t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t o r d e v i c e ; ( i i i ) t h e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t o r d e v i c e i s t h e o r d e v i c e . S e c t i o n s 3 . 1 t o 3 . 1 2 s e t o u t t h e s p e c i f i c e l i g i b i l i t y r e q T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t s u b s e c t i o n s 3 ( 2 ) , ( 2 . 1 ) , ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) f o r a b a t h m a t a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t a s s e r t t h a m e d i c a l d e v i c e s a r e l i s t e d i n S c h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P 3 . 1 ) ; w h e e l c h a i r s ( s . 3 . 2 ) ; w h e e l c h a i r s e a t i n g s y s t e m a n d t o i l e t i n g a i d s ( s . 3 . 5 ) ; h o s p i t a l b e d ( s . 3 . 6 ) ; p r e s s d e v i c e s ( s . 3 . 8 ) ; b r e a t h i n g d e v i c e s ( s . 3 . 9 ) ; o r t h o s e s c o n v e n t i o n a l g l u c o s e m e t e r s ( s . 3 . 1 2 ) . A b a t h m a t i s n o t a n i t e m e n u m e r a t e d i n s u b s e c t i o n s a n d t o i l e t i n g a i d s ] d e s c r i b e s i t e m s t h a t a r e m e d i c a l l y p e r s o n o r t o a c h i e v e o r m a i n t a i n a p e r s o n ' s p o s i t i o n ( a ) a g r a b b a r i n a b a t h r o o m ; ( b ) a b a t h o r s h o w e r s e a t ; ( c ) a b a t h t r a n s f e r b e n c h w i t h h a n d h e l d s h o w e r ; E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # l d e c i s i o n t o d e n y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r a e t o u t u n d e r t h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e C , a n d t h e i o n 6 9 o f t h e E A P W D R , i s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e h e r e f o r e , s h e w a s e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e h e a l t h e E A P W D R . g e n e r a l r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r a l l e q u i p m e n t / d e v i c e s . h e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t a n d d e v i c e s d e s c r i b e d i n u p p l e m e n t s t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d b y t h e m i n i s t e r t h a t i s e l i g i b l e u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 2 [ g e n e r a l h e a l t h t h o r i z a t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t e r f o r t h e m e d i c a l f a m i l y u n i t t o p a y t h e c o s t o f o r o b t a i n t h e l e a s t e x p e n s i v e a p p r o p r i a t e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t u i r e m e n t s f o r e a c h l i s t e d m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t . a n d ( 5 ) d o n o t a p p l y t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t t t h e y d o . S p e c i f i c m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t a n d W D R a s f o l l o w s : c a n e s , c r u t c h e s a n d w a l k e r s ( s . s ( s . 3 . 3 ) ; s c o o t e r s ( s . 3 . 4 ) ; w h e e l c h a i r s ; b a t h i n g u r e r e l i e f m a t t r e s s e s ( s . 3 . 7 ) ; f l o o r o r c e i l i n g l i f t ( s . 3 . 1 0 ) , h e a r i n g i n s t r u m e n t s ( s . 3 . 1 1 ) ; a n d n o n  3 . 1 -3 . 1 2 . . I n p a r t i c u l a r , s u b s e c t i o n 3 . 5 [ b a t h i n g e s s e n t i a l t o f a c i l i t a t e t o i l e t i n g o r t r a n s f e r s o f a i n g , a s f o l l o w s :
[APPEAL# (d) a tub slide; (e) a bath lift; (f) a bed pan or urinal; (g) a raised toilet seat; (h) a toilet safety frame; (i) a floor-to-ceiling pole in a bathroom or bedroom; (B.C. Reg. 197/2012) U) a portable commode chair. (k) a standing frame for a person for whom a wheelchair is medically essential to achieve or maintain basic mobility; (B.C. Reg. 197/2012) (I) a positioning chair for a person for whom a wheelchair is medically essential to achieve or maintain basic mobility; (B.C. Reg. 197/2012) (m) a transfer aid for a person for whom the transfer aid is medically essential to transfer from one position to another. (B.C. Reg. 197/2012) 2. General Health Supplement The EAPWDR, Schedule C, section 2(1) (a) sets out that the ministry may provide either disposable or reusable medical or surgical supplies if: (i) the supplies are required for one of the following purposes: (A) wound care; (B) ongoing bowel care required due to loss of muscle function; (C) catheterization; (D) incontinence; (E) skin parasite care; (F) limb circulation care; (ii) the supplies are: (A) prescribed by a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner, (B) the least expensive supplies appropriate for the purpose, and (C) necessary to avoid an imminent and substantial danger to health; (iii) there are no resources available to the family unit to pay the cost of or obtain the supplies. The EAPWDR, Schedule C, subsection 2(1) (a.1) sets out that the following medical or surgical supplies may be paid for by the minister if the minister is satisfied that all the requirements described in paragraph (a)(ii) and (iii) are met in relation to the supplies: EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
( i ) l a n c e t s ; ( i i ) n e e d l e s a n d s y r i n g e s ; ( i i i ) v e n t i l a t o r s u p p l i e s r e q u i r e d f o r t h e e s s e n t i a l ( i v ) t r a c h e o s t o m y s u p p l i e s ; T h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e C , s u b s e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) ( a . 2 ) s e f o r b y t h e m i n i s t e r i f t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e ( i ) t h e s u p p l i e s a r e r e q u i r e d t o t h i c k e n f o o d ; ( i i ) a l l t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s d e s c r i b e d i n p a r a g r a p h 2 S e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) s e t s o u t t h a t f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s u b s e i n c l u d e n u t r i t i o n a l s u p p l e m e n t s , f o o d , v i t a m i n s , m i n S e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) ( c ) o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e f o l l o c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e t : a s e rv i c e f o r a c u p u n c n o n s u r g i c a l p o d i a t r y , p h y s i c a l t h e r a p y . S e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) ( f ) o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e f o l l o c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e t : t h e l e a s t e x p e n s i v e a S e c t i o n 2 . 1 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e f o l l o w i n p r o v i d e d u n d e r S e c t i o n 6 2 . 1 o f t h e E A P W D R : b a s i c a n d r e p a i r s . S e c t i o n 2 . 2 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t e 6 2 . 2 o f t h e E A P W D R f o r a n e y e e x a m i n a t i o n i f t h e o S e c t i o n 4 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e h e a l t h s u [ d e n t a l s u p p l e m e n t s ] a r e b a s i c d e n t a l s e r v i c e s , i f t h S e c t i o n 4 . 1 p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t m a b r i d g e w o r k , i f t h e o t h e r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e S e c t i o n 5 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e h e a l t h s u [ e m e r g e n c y d e n t a l a n d d e n t u r e s u p p l e m e n t ] o f t h e E S e c t i o n 6 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e a m o u n t o s e c t i o n 6 6 [ d i e t s u p p l e m e n t s ] i s s e t o u t f o r v a r i o u s c m e t . S e c t i o n 7 o f t h e S c h e d u l e p r o v i d e s a s f o l l o w s : 7 T h e a m o u n t o f a n u t r i t i o n a l s u p p l e m e n t t h a t m a y s u p p l e m e n t ] o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n i s t h e s u m o f t h e a m o r e q u i r e d i n t h e r e q u e s t u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 7 ( 1 ) ( c ) : ( a ) f o r a d d i t i o n a l n u t r i t i o n a l i t e m s t h a t a r e p a r t o f i n t a k e , u p t o $ 1 6 5 e a c h m o n t h ; ( b ) R e p e a l e d . r B . C . R e q . 6 8 / 2 0 1 0 , s . 3 ( b ) . l E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I o p e r a t i o n o r s t e r i l i z a t i o n o f a v e n t i l a t o r ; t s o u t t h a t c o n s u m a b l e m e d i c a l s u p p l i e s b e p a i d f o l l o w i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e m e t : ( i i ) a n d ( i i i ) a r e m e t i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e s u p p l i e s . c t i o n ( 1 ) ( a ) , m e d i c a l a n d s u r g i c a l s u p p l i e s d o n o t e r a l s o r p r e s c r i p t i o n m e d i c a t i o n s . w i n g i t e m s a r e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s i f t h e o t h e r t u r e , c h i r o p r a c t i c , m a s s a g e t h e r a p y , n a t u r o p a t h y , w i n g i t e m s a r e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s i f t h e o t h e r p p r o p r i a t e m o d e o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . g a r e t h e o p t i c a l s u p p l e m e n t s t h a t m a y b e e y e w e a r a n d r e p a i r s , p r e a u t h o r i z e d e y e w e a r r m a y p a y a h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r S e c t i o n t h e r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e t . p p l e m e n t t h a t m a y b e p a i d u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 3 e o t h e r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e t . y b e p a i d u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 3 . 1 f o r c r o w n a n d t . p p l e m e n t t h a t m a y b e p a i d f o r u n d e r S e c t i o n 6 4 A P W D R a r e e m e r g e n c y d e n t a l s e r v i c e s . f a d i e t s u p p l e m e n t t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d u n d e r o n d i t i o n s , i f t h e o t h e r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e b e p r o v i d e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 7 [ n u t r i t i o n a l u n t s f o r t h o s e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g i t e m s s p e c i f i e d a s a c a l o r i c s u p p l e m e n t a t i o n t o a r e g u l a r d i e t a r y
( c ) f o r v i t a m i n s a n d m i n e r a l s , u p t o $ 4 0 e a c h m o S e c t i o n 8 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e a m o u n t o s e c t i o n 6 8 [ n a t a l s u p p l e m e n t s ] i s s e t o u t , i f t h e o t h e S e c t i o n 9 o f S c h e d u l e C p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t e r m t h e E A P W D R i f t h e o t h e r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m H e a l t h S u p p l e m e n t s f o r P e r s o n s F a c i n g L i f e T h r S e c t i o n 6 9 o f t h e E A P W D R s t a t e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t e r s u p p l e m e n t s s e t o u t i n S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( ill t r a n s p o rt a t i o n ] a n d � [ m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t a n d d e v i c e p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t w h o i s o t h e rw i s e n o t e l i g i b l a n d i f t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t : a ) T h e p e r s o n f a c e s a d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e n t l i f e t h a v a i l a b l e t o t h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y u n i t w i t h w h i c b ) T h e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t i s n e c e s s a r y t o m e e t c ) T h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y u n i t i s r e c e i v i n g p r e m i u m d ) T h e r e q u i r e m e n t s s p e c i f i e d i n t h e f o l l o w i n g p ( i ) P a r a g r a p h ( a ) o r ( f ) o f s e c t i o n ( 2 ) ( 1 ) ; ( i i ) S e c t i o n s 3 t o 3 . 1 1 , o t h e r t h a n p a r a g r a T h e m i n i s t r y c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . T h e m i n i s t r y c o n c l u d e d t h a t a b a t h m a t i s n o t a h e a l p r o v i d e u n d e r t h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n s 3 I n a d d i t i o n , t h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n t h e s e s e c t i o n s , f o r e a c h o f t h e s e h T h e m i n i s t r y t h e r e f o r e c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w s u p p l y . T h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t : • T h e i t e m r e q u e s t e d w a s n o t a d i s p o s a b l e o r r • T h e i t e m r e q u e s t e d w a s n o t p r e s c r i b e d b y a m • T h e i t e m r e q u e s t w a s n o t d i r e c t l y r e q u i r e d f o r S c h e d u l e C , s u b s e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) ( i ) . • I n f o r m a t i o n h a d n o t b e e n s u b m i t t e d t o e s t a b l i i m m i n e n t a n d s u b s t a n t i a l d a n g e r t o h e a l t h . • T h e i t e m r e q u e s t e d w a s n o t s e t o u t i n t h e E A 2 ( 1 ) ( a . 2 ) . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I n t h . f a n a t a l s u p p l e m e n t t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d u n d e r r c r i t e r i a o f t h e s e c t i o n a r e m e t . a y p r o v i d e i n f a n t f o r m u l a u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 7 . 1 o f e t . e a t e n i n g H e a l t h N e e d m a y p r o v i d e t o a f a m i l y u n i t a n y h e a l t h [ m e d i c a l s u p p l i e s ] a n d l f ) [ m e d i c a l s ] , i f t h e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t i s p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a e f o r t h e h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r t h i s r e g u l a t i o n , r e a t e n i n g n e e d a n d t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s h t o m e e t t h a t n e e d . t h a t n e e d . a s s i s t a n c e u n d e r M e d i c a r e P r o t e c t i o n A c t , a n d r o v i s i o n s o f S c h e d u l e C , a s a p p l i c a b l e , a r e m e t : p h ( a ) o f s e c t i o n 3 ( 1 ) . t o i t d i d n o t m e e t t h e e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n t h s u p p l e m e n t t h e m i n i s t r y i s a u t h o r i z e d t o a n d 3 . 1 t o 3 . 1 2 . o v i d e d d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h e o t h e r l e g i s l a t e d e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s , h a d b e e n m e t . a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r a b a t h m a t a s a m e d i c a l e u s a b l e m e d i c a l o r s u r g i c a l s u p p l y . e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r o r n u r s e p r a c t i t i o n e r . o n e o f t h e p u r p o s e s s e t o u t i n t h e E A P W D R , s h t h a t t h e i t e m r e q u e s t e d i s n e c e s s a r y t o a v o i d D W P R S c h e d u l e C , s u b s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( a . 1 ) o r
T h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t a b a t h m a t i s n o t s e t o u t i n a S c h e d u l e C . I n p a r t i c u l a r , a b a t h m a t d o e s n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a a o f t h e e n u m e r a t e d h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s . • S e c t i o n 6 9 a p p l i e s t o h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s s e t [ g e n e r a l h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s ] a n d s e c t i o n 3 [ m p r o v i d e a r e m e d y f o r t h o s e p e r s o n s w h o a r e h e a l t h n e e d f o r t h e s e s u p p l e m e n t s a n d w h o a • I n f o r m a t i o n s u b m i t t e d w i t h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n a n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t f a c e d a d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e n • A b a t h m a t i s n o t a h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t s e t o u 3 . F u r t h e r , t h e r e q u e s t h a d n o t m e t a l l t h e r e q C , s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) a n d ( f ) a n d 3 t o 3 . 1 2 . T h e r e f o r e , a s t h e r e q u e s t d i d n o t m e e t t h e l e g i s l a t e d n o t e l i g i b l e f o r a b a t h m a t u n d e r s e c t i o n 6 9 o f t h e E A A t t h e h e a r i n g o f t h e a p p e a l t h e m i n i s t r y r e v i e w e d t h E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e C , a p p l i e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h w o u l d m e e t t h e e l i g i b i l i t y r e q u i A s t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e h e a r i n g n o s u b m N o t i c e o f A p p e a l s t a t e d t h a t s h e d i s a g r e e d w i t h t h e w o u l d p r o b a b l y n e e d t o g e t a t l e a s t o n e c r i s i s g r a n t s a i d t h e b a t h m a t w a s t h e o n l y s a f e o n e f o r h e r b a t h T h e p a n e l n o t e d t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y u n d e r t o o k a c o m p t h e m i n i s t r y r e v i e w e d i n d e t a i l t h e m e d i c a l e q u i p m e n S c h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P W D R a n d w e n t f u r t h e r t o r e v s u b s e c t i o n s o f S c h e d u l e C , o r o t h e r s e c t i o n s o f t h e t h e l e g i s l a t i o n d i d n o t a p p l y . T h e p a n e l c o n s i d e r e d t h e a n a l y s i s o f t h e m i n i s t r y a n p a n e l r e v i e w e d s e c t i o n s 3 . 1 t o 3 . 1 2 o f t h e E A P W D R b a t h i n g a n d t o i l e t i n g a i d e s ) . A b a t h m a t i s n o t a n e l i n o t a h e a l t h s u p p l e m e n t o r a t h e r a p y . T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s d o e s n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a o f t h e o t h e r s e c t i o n s o f S c 2 ( 1 ) ( c ) , 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 , 4 , 4 . 1 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 a n d 9 , s i n c e a b a t h s e r v i c e f o r a c u p u n c t u r e , c h i r o p r a c t i c , m a s s a g e t h e r a p h y s i o t h e r a p y ; o p t i c a l s u p p l e m e n t s ; e y e e x a m i n a t i o a n d b r i d g e w o r k s u o o l e m e n t ; e m e r g e n c y d e n t a l s u p p E AA T 0 0 3 { 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I n y o f t h e o t h e r s e c t i o n s o f t h e E A P W D R , s a t h e r a p y a n d d o e s n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a o f o n e o u t u n d e r S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) t o ( f ) e d i c a l e q u i p m e n t a n d d e v i c e s ] . I t i s i n t e n d e d t o f a c i n g a d i r e c t a n d i m m i n e n t l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g r e n o t o t h e r w i s e e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e t h e m d R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t l i f e t h r e a t e n i n g h e a l t h n e e d f o r a b a t h m a t . t i n S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n s 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) a n d ( f ) o r s e c t i o n u i r e m e n t s s p e c i f i e d i n t h e E A P W D R , S c h e d u l e c r i t e r i a , t h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s P W D R . e l e g i s l a t i o n a n d a r g u e d t h a t n o p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e q u e s t a n d f u r t h e r a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e w e r e n o r e m e n t s i n s e c t i o n 6 9 o f t h e E A P W D R . i s s i o n s w e r e m a d e b y h e r o r o n h e r b e h a l f . H e r m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n b e c a u s e s h e a n d b e c a u s e t h e h o m e h e a l t h p r o d u c t s p r o v i d e r l i f t . r e h e n s i v e r e v i e w o f t h e E A P W D R . I n p a r t i c u l a r t a n d d e v i c e s p r o v i d e d f o r i n s e c t i o n 3 o f i e w t h e l e g i s l a t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r o t h e r E A P W D R , a p p l i e d . T h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t d r e v i e w e d t h e l e g i s l a t i o n . I n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e , S c h e d u l e C ( a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r s u b s e c t i o n 3 . 5 g i b l e i t e m a s e n u m e r a t e d i n S c h e d u l e C a n d i s t f o r a s u p p l e m e n t t o c o v e r t h e c o s t o f a b a t h m a t h e d u l e C o f t h e E A P W D R , i n c l u d i n g s e c t i o n s m a t i s n o t a n y o f t h e i t e m s c o v e r e d , n a m e l y : a p y , n a t u r o p a t h y , n o n s u r g i c a l p o d i a t r y , n s u p p l e m e n t s ; a d e n t a l s u p p l e m e n t ; a c r o w n l e m e n t s ; d i e t s u p p l e m e n t s ; m o n t h l y n u t r i t i o n a l
APPEAL# I supplements; natal supplements; or infant formula. The appellant did not maintain a position that the requested bath mat falls within any of these other sections of Schedule C. The panel finds that the ministry's determination, which concluded that the bath mat is not an item listed in the other sections of Schedule C of the EAPWDR, was reasonable. The panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant is eligible for health supplements under section 62 of the EAPWDR, whereas section 69 applies to provide a health supplement to a person in the family unit who is otherwise not eligible for the health supplement under the EAPWDR. The panel also finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the requirements of section 69(d) are not met as a bath mat is not set out under Schedule C, section 2(1 )(a) as medical or surgical supplies or under section 2(1 )(f) as a mode of medical transportation, or under sections 3 to 3.12, as detailed above. While the OT reported that a non-slip bath mat would optimize the appellant's balance safety in the shower, the appellant has been approved for the installation of the wall mounted grab bars in the tub shower to facilitate safe sit to stand shower transfers, and there was no information that the appellant faces a life threatening health need for the bath mat. Therefore, the panel finds that the ministry's decision, which concluded that section 69 of the EAPWDR does not apply to the appellant's circumstances, was reasonable. The panel finds the ministry's determination that the request for a bath mat did not meet the legislated criteria set out in the EAPWDR was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant and confirms the decision. EAAT003(10/06/01)
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.