The Ontario government is providing Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare with $2,001,899.68 to make up for revenue lost during the pandemic. This is part of the government’s $572.3 million investment to reimburse hospitals across the province to provide financial stability and support continued high-quality patient care.
“This funding will ensure that Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare can continue to provide the high-quality care that people in Parry Sound – Muskoka need and deserve. Hospitals were hit hard by the pandemic, but I am pleased that our government is investing in medium-sized hospitals like MAHC so they can recover from financial pressures and prepare for the future,” said MPP Norman Miller.
To ensure Ontario’s hospitals remain on stable financial footing, the government allocated $572.3 million to hospitals across Ontario to help address fiscal challenges and reimburse qualifying portions of losses that occurred not only through direct costs, but also through the loss of revenue from things like co-payments for private rooms and the reduction of retail services. These revenue streams all contribute to patient care and support clinical services.
“We are grateful to Mr. Miller, the Ministry of Health and Central Region Ontario Health for their continued support,” said Vickie Kaminski, Interim President & CEO at MAHC. “This financial support toward operations will continue to improve the MAHC organization’s financial status and support us in our mission to provide outstanding integrated health care to those we serve across our community.”
In September 2021, the government made a $7,712,500 investment in Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare as part of $696.6 million allocated to help strengthen the financial stability of public hospitals, with a focus on small and medium sized hospitals. These funding announcements are part of the province’s overall investment of over $1.2 billion to help hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ontario’s hospitals have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and our government is using every tool at our disposal to ensure that they are supported,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This funding will help ease the financial pressure on hospitals so that they can continue to provide high-quality care and ensure our health care system is prepared to respond to any scenario.”
The government addressed the historical underfunding of small and medium-sized hospitals by increasing the base funding to hospitals across the province by a minimum of 1% in the 2021 budget and by 3% in the 2020 budget. Previously, hospitals had to request additional funds each year and were never guaranteed approval.
Since the start of pandemic, Ontario has worked with its hospital partners to build unprecedented capacity and ensure that Ontarians have access to care. The government remains committed to supporting hospitals so that they can continue to care for Ontarians today and in the future.
