The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) has issued a strong denunciation of the Federal Government’s plan to introduce co-payments to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) starting May 1, 2026.

Under the new policy, refugees and claimants will be required to pay $4 for prescriptions and cover 30% of the costs for supplemental services, including dental, vision, and mental health counselling.

The CCR warns that these financial barriers will disproportionately harm vulnerable populations and force individuals with untreated conditions into overstretched emergency rooms, ultimately increasing costs for the healthcare system.

Drawing parallels to 2014 legal rulings that labelled similar cuts as "cruel and unusual," the organization is calling for an immediate reversal to ensure that newcomers can access the essential care needed to successfully integrate into Canadian society.

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