P A R T C D E C I S I O N U N D E R A P P E A L T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m e e t t h e l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a i n s e c t i o n s 6 A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n a s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( E A S p e c i f i c a l l y , t h a t a s t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n d i a g n o s e d w f o r t h e d i a b e t i c d i e t s u p p l e m e n t . P A R T D R E L E V A N T L E G I S L A T I O N E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n a s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n a s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e I i o n d e c i s i o n d a t e d D e c e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 8 w h i c h h e l d t h a t t h e 6 a n d S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n 6 o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d P W D R ) t o r e c e i v e t h e b e n e f i t s h e h a d r e q u e s t e d . i t h p r e d i a b e t e s , n o t t y p e 2 d i a b e t e s , s h e d o e s n o t q u a l i f y s R e g u l a t i o n , s e c t i o n 6 6 s R e g u l a t i o n S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n 6
PART E -SUMMARY OF FACTS Key dates and information before the Ministry at the time of reconsideration were as follows: November 13, 2018: appellant's application for the diabetic diet supplement was received by the ministry November 20, 2018: the application was denied November 28, 2018: appellant requested reconsideration December 13, 2018: signed request for reconsideration submitted to the ministry December 20, 2018: ministry reviewed request for reconsideration and denied benefits June 2018: appellant was diagnosed with pre-diabetes September 2018: appellant was diagnosed as being pregnant with a due date of June 11, 2019 At the hearing, the appellant provided the following information: In their letter dated November 20, 2018, the ministry was incorrect in stating that the appellant has gestational diabetes. She has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes and is managing this condition with diet and medication. She is currently receiving the natal supplement. Additionally, the appellant stated that she understood the reasons why her application for the diabetic diet supplement was denied; specifically that she does not have diabetes and as per Schedule C, section 6(1) (b) of the EAPWD regulation, this makes her ineligible to receive the diabetic diet supplement. She did inquire as to whether or not she would qualify for the diabetic diet supplement if she is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the future. The ministry representative responded that should her diagnosis change, the appellant could re-apply for the supplement with supporting medical documentation. The ministry relied on the reconsideration decision for the hearing.
I PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION The issue before the panel is to determine the reasonableness of the Ministry's reconsideration decision dated December 20, 2018 which held that per sections 66 and Schedule C, section 6 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), as the appellant has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes and not type 2 diabetes, she was ineligible for the diabetic diet supplement she had applied for. Applicable Legislation: Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation Diet supplement 66 (1 )Subject to subsection (2), the minister may pay for a diet supplement in accordance with section 6 [diet supplements] of Schedule C that is provided to or for a family unit in receipt of disability assistance, if the supplement is provided to or for a person in the family unit who (a)is described in section 6 (1) of Schedule C, and (b)is not described in section 8 (1) [people receiving special care] of Schedule A. (2)A person is not eligible to receive a supplement under subsection (1) unless (a)the person is not receiving another nutrition-related supplement, and (b)a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or registrant of the College of Dieticians of British Columbia established under the Health Professions Act confirms in writing the need for the special diet. [en. B.C. Reg. 145/2015, Sch. 2, s. 6.] Schedule C Diet supplements 6 (1)The amount of a diet supplement that may be provided under section 66 [diet supplements] of this regulation is as follows: (a)$10 for each calendar month for a person who requires a restricted sodium diet; ( b )$35 for each calendar month for a person who has diabetes; (c)$30 for each calendar month for a person who requires kidney dialysis if the person is not eligible under the kidney dialysis service provided by the Ministry of Health Services; (d)$40 for each calendar month for a person who requires a high protein diet; (e)$40 for each calendar month for a person who requires a gluten-free diet; (f)$40 for each calendar month for a person who has dysphagia;
( g ) $ 5 0 f o r e a c h c a l e n d a r m o n t h f o r a p e r s o n w h o h a s c y s t i c f i b r o s i s ; ( h ) $ 4 0 f o r e a c h c a l e n d a r m o n t h fo r w h i c h a p e r s o n r e q u i r e s a k e t o g e n i c d i e t ; ( i ) $ 4 0 f o r e a c h c a l e n d a r m o n t h f o r w h i c h a p e r s o n r e q u i r e s a l o w p h e n y l a l a n i n e d i e t . ( 2 ) A d i e t s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) ( d ) m a y o n l y b e p r o v i d e d i f t h e d i e t i s c o n f i r m e d b y a m 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 a s b e i n g n e c e s s a r y f o r o n e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s : ( a ) c a n c e r t h a t r e q u i r e s n u t r i t i o n a l s u p p o rt d u r i n g ( i ) r a d i a t i o n t h e r a p y , ( i i ) c h e m o t h e r a p y , ( i i i ) s u r g i c a l t h e r a p y , o r ( i v ) o n g o i n g m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t ; ( b ) c h r o n i c i n f l a m m a t o r y b o w e l d i s e a s e ; ( c ) C r o h n ' s d i s e a s e ; ( d ) u l c e r a t i v e c o l i t i s ; ( e ) H I V p o s i t i v e d i a g n o s i s ; ( ! ) A I D S ; ( g ) c h r o n i c b a c t e r i a l i n fe c t i o n ; ( h ) t u b e r c u l o s i s ; ( i ) h y p e rt h y r o i d i s m ; U ) o s t e o p o r o s i s ; ( k ) h e p a t i t i s B ; ( ! ) h e p a t i t i s C . ( 3 ) A p e r s o n w h o i s 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 u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) ( d ) o r ( f) i s a l s o e l i g i b l e f o r a $ 3 0 p a y m e n t t o w a r d s t h e p u r c h a s e o f a b l e n d e r . ( 4 ) I f a p e r s o n h a s m o r e t h a n o n e o f t h e m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s s e t o u t i n s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) , t h e p e r s o n m a y r e c e i v e o n l y t h e a m o u n t o f t h e h i g h e s t d i e t s u p p l e m e n t f o r w h i c h h e o r s h e i s e l i g i b l e . D u r i n g t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t s h e u n d e r s t o o d a n d a g r e e d w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y ' s r e a s o n s f o r d e n i a l u n d e r t h e c u r r e n t l e g i s l a t i o n , n a m e l y t h a t a t p r e s e n t s h e i s a ff l i c t e d w i t h p r e d i a b e t e s , r a t h e r t h a n ! v o e 2 d i a b e t e s a n d a s s u c h s h e d o e s n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a t o q u a l i f v f o r t h e d i a b e t e s d i e t s u n n l e m e n t .
T h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e c o u n s e l l e d h e r t h a t s h o c a n r e a p p l y f o r t h e d i a b e t i c d i e t s u p p l e m e n t . C o n c l u s i o n : T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e 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 f o r t h e d i a b e t i c d i e t s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s e c t i o n s 6 6 a n A s s i s t a n c e fo r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( E A P a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h 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 a a p p e l l a n t i s u n s u c c e s s f u l i n h e r a p p e a l .I u l d h e r p r e d i a b e t e s p r o g r e s s t o t y p e 2 d i a b e t e s , s h e e c i s i o n , w h i c h h e l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e d S c h e d u l e C , s e c t i o n 6 o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d W D R ) a s s h e d o e s n o t h a v e d i a b e t e s , w a s a r e a s o n a b l e p p e l l a n t . T h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t ry ' s d e c i s i o n . T h e
I P A R T G O R D E R T H E P A N E L D E C I S I O N ! S : ( C h e c k o n e ) [gj U N A N I M O U S â–¡ B Y M A J O R I T Y T H E P A N E L [gj C O N F I R M S T H E M I N I S T R Y D E C I S I O N â–¡ R E S C I N D S T H E M I N I S T R Y D E C I S I O N I f t h e m i n i s t r y d e c i s i o n i s r e s c i n d e d , i s t h e p a n e l d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d b a c k t o t h e M i n i s t e r f o r a d e c i s i o n a s t o a m o u n t ? â–¡ Y e s â–¡ N o L E G I S L A T I V E A U T H O R I T Y F O R T H E D E C I S I O N : 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 t S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 1 ) ( a ) [gl o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 1 ) ( b ) D a n d S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( a ) [gl o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( b ) D P A R T H S I G N A T U R E S P R I N T N A M E J a n L i n g f o r d S I G N A T U R E O F C H A I R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H /O A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 1 / 2 5 P R I N T N A M E P a t r i c k C o o p e r S J G N A TU R E O F M E M B E R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / O A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 1 / 2 5 P R I N T N A M E L a u r e n F o r s y t h D A T E ( Y E A R/ M O N T H I D A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 1 / 2 5
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