COMPENSATION PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HIV OR HEPATITIS C
Compensation programs for individuals with HIV or Hepatitis C have been set up over the past few years by the federal government, the provinces and the territories, as well as by the Red Cross, to financially compensate victims of the tainted blood scandal. This document presents a full list of compensation programs by type of disorder.
COMPENSATION PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HIV OR HEPATITIS C (14-11-2014)
The above document was produced in response to a need identified by the Program Committee and members; the CHS hired a summer student in 2009 to gather and publish information on three related topics:
– access to insurance (life, mortgage, travel, health insurance for overseas students, group) for people with bleeding disorders;
– federal and provincial government support programs and tax benefits for people with disabilities;
– an overview of the different compensation programs for blood-borne HIV and HCV infection created since 1989.
NOTE THAT THE DATE OF THE LATEST UPDATE IS INDICATED NEXT TO THE DOCUMENT NAME.
We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information accessed through or published or provided by the CHS. People relying on this information do so entirely at their own risk. The CHS nor any of their employees, directors, officers or volunteers may be held liable for damages of any kind that may result from the use or misuse of any such information. Names of products are provided for information only. Their inclusion is not an endorsement of a particular product or company.
Hepatitis C Compensation
Applications are still being received from Canadians who became infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) through the Canadian blood supply.
After a seemingly endless battle involving the federal and several provincial governments, lawyers, and people who became infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) through the Canadian blood supply, applications continue to be received from those who contracted HCV prior to 1986 or after 1990 and between 1986 and 1990.
Details of the compensation plan that has been approved by the courts, as well as application forms and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ’s), may be found on the Web site of the company that has been chosen to administer the program (Crawford Class Action Services) at: www.pre86post90settlement.ca. For those who were infected between 1986 and 1990, please visit the following Web site: www.hepc8690.ca.
IMPORTANT NOTICE / REMINDER
HCV LATE CLAIMS BENEFIT PLAN CREATED FOR LATE CLAIMANTS LAUNCHED – January 2018
The launch of the new $40 million HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan was announced through a successful national television, public relations and social media campaign begun in January 2018.
Persons infected with the Hepatitis C virus from blood or blood products received between January 1, 1986 to July 1, 1990 who did not make a claim prior to the June 30, 2010 deadline under the existing plans and do not meet certain exceptions to that deadline can apply now to receive benefits under the new plan.
To learn more about the HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan, review the information found below.
The type and amount of benefits provided under this recently announced HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan are the same as those provided under the original Transfused HCV Plan and Hemophiliac HCV Plan, including the recently awarded HCV Special Distribution Benefits described below (all indexed to the year of payment). However, in order to ensure that there are sufficient funds to pay all eligible late claimants, 25% of compensation payable to claimants under the HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan will be held back. The Courts will determine if and when this 25% holdback can be modified or eliminated and any heldback compensation paid out to eligible late claimants with interest.
Note: If you are already an approved class member or have previously applied and been denied as a class member under the 1986-1990 HCV Settlement, you are not eligible to receive compensation under the new HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan.
For more information, visit the website created for this Plan http://www.hepcclassaction.ca or the link to the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HepCClassAction or call toll-free 1 866 353-4003, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Eastern Time.
A copy of the HCV Late Claims Benefit Plan can be found here.
JUNE 30, 2010 was the FIRST CLAIM DEADLINE for ALIVE Primarily-Infected Persons for the following compensation programs:
• Pre-1986 / Post-1990 Hepatitis C Settlement Agreement
• Hepatitis C (HCV) January 1, 1986-July 1, 1990 Class Actions Settlement
No person may file a Claim after June 30th, 2010 except:
PROTOCOL FOR CLAIM REQUESTS RECEIVED AFTER THE FIRST CLAIM DEADLINE OF JUNE 30, 2010 PENDING
In 2013, applications were brought by Class Action Counsel in the 1986-1990 Hepatitis C Class Actions seeking approval of a proposed Late Claim Requests Protocol (“Protocol”) to deal with claim requests received by the Administrator after the First Claim Deadline of June 30, 2010.
Because the Courts in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec jointly supervise the ongoing Hepatitis C Class Action settlement, all three Courts were required to hear the applications and to reach a conclusion without any material differences if the proposed Protocol was to become effective.
In 2014, the decisions received from the three Courts did not reach the same conclusion. Therefore, the proposed Protocol could not be implemented at that time. The reasons for decision of the Ontario Court may be viewed here. The reasons for decision of the British Columbia Court may be viewed here. The reasons for decision of the Quebec Court may be viewed here.
The Joint Committee, which assists the Courts with the implementation of the settlements, brought a similar applications before the Courts between June 20-22, 2016 following a triennial Fund Sufficiency Review that determined that there was an unallocated surplus of monies available in the Trust Fund. Given the confirmed surplus, the three courts agreed that late claimants could be considered and that $32 million bet set aside to cover late claims.
The Joint Committee will be filing with the Courts motions/applications regarding a proposed Late Claims Plan. Implementation of this plan is expected in the summer of 2017.
The June 20-22, 2016 joint hearing regarding whether to allocate all or a portion of the surplus estimated to be between $236 million and $256 million
On June 20-22, 2016, Chief Justice Hinkson of the British Columbia Supreme Court, Justice Perell of the Ontario Superior Court and Justice Corriveau of the Superior Court of Québec held joint hearings in Toronto, Ontario, to consider the applications of the Joint Committee and the federal government about the surplus in the 1986 to 1990 Hepatitis C Settlement Agreement Trust Fund which is estimated to be between $207 million and $256 million as at December 31, 2013.
DECISIONS OF THE JUDGES
The decisions of Justice Perell (Ontario) and Justice Corriveau (Quebec) on the applications to allocate excess capital were released on August 15, 2016. The decision of Chief Justice Hinkson (BC) on the applications to allocate excess capital was released on August 16, 2016.
Each of the courts approved seven of the nine recommendations (with some minor modifications) made by the Joint Committee. Each of the courts dismissed the application of the government of Canada to have the excess capital paid to Canada.
Recommendations accepted
1. $32 million to cover late claims;
2. $50 million to pay amounts equal to 8.5% of fixed payments already granted;
3. $22 million to increase fixed amounts to family members;
4. $20 million to compensate for loss of pension benefits;
5. $34 million to increase benefits for loss of services in the home;
6. $629,000 for cost of care at level 6;
7. $2 million to pay expenses for family members to attend medical appointments.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISIONS
The Ontario and British Columbia Court Orders have been approved by all parties, signed by the supervising judges and issued by the Courts. A copy of the Court Orders can be found by clicking on the link for the applicable province below. In the case of Quebec, the Court Orders are included at the end of the Judgement.
The Administrator has begun processing the payments approved by the Court Orders. Given the large number of HCV Special Distribution Benefits payments to be made, payments need to be made over time in 3 stages.
• The first stage of payments will be made during the week of February 6, 2017 to alive primarily infected and secondarily infected claimants in respect of the Fixed payment benefit described above.
• The second stage of payments will be made in mid-March, 2017 to:
◦ the estates of deceased claimants entitled to the Fixed payment benefit described above;
◦ family members entitled to the Family Member payment described above.
• The third stage of payments will be made in mid- April, 2017 to:
◦ claimants entitled to the Loss of Income (pension benefits compensation) benefit described above;
◦ the Loss of Service benefit described above
◦ the Cost of Care benefit described above
The administrator will update the 86-90 website to give you a more precise date for the second and third stage of payments when that information becomes available.
The Joint Committee will also be filing with the Courts motions/applications regarding the following:
• a proposed Late Claims Plan
• a request to permit co-infected Hemophiliacs who elected to accept the all-inclusive sum of $50,000 (1999 dollars) an opportunity to re-elect and opt-in to the Settlement so long as the amount they received is deducted from the amount they are entitled to under the Settlement
• a request that the loss of services payments made to disabled children of a deceased HCV infected approved claimant be extended to the lifetime of the disabled child.
The 86-90 website will be updated to let you know if and when the Courts approve these motions/applications.
IMPORTANT: Please ensure that the Administrator has up-to-date contact information
Please be sure to monitor the website regularly for current information.
http://www.hepc8690.ca/home-e.shtml
