On July 1, most Albertans with disabilities will be moved from the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program to the new Alberta Disability assistance Program (ADAP).
And the changes continue to prove controversial, and confusing for most clients on AISH.
Currently over 80,000 people use the existing benefit program, and also receive the governments Canada Disability Benefits of 200$ a month. Alberta remains the only province to reduce monthly benefits based on the CDB.
When people transition to ADAP, if they also collect the CDB, they are entitled to $1,570 per month, which according to experts is more than $700 below the poverty line, as opposed to $500 below the line under existing benefits.
By now, most people will have gotten notice as to which program they will be under, but there is no appeal process for those who feel they have been mis-placed, their only option is to re-apply for AISH.
Some clients have also received letters in the mail saying they were being moved off of AISH, but a follow up robo call weeks later, say there was a mistake made, and the individual would not be transitioned to ADAP.
The province however, says their ADAP program offers more than other disability programs in the country, as a $700 dollar employment income exemption applies, meaning clients of ADAP can collect up to $700 before their benefits change.
“Employment income above $700 per month will be gradually deducted starting with less than a cent per dollar and increasing significantly approaching $45,000 employment income per year,” the province said.
According to AISH numbers, more than 80% of recipients currently do not have work, and in order to maintain the income they received under AISH, between 30 and 40 hours of minimum wage work is required, in a population with a very low employment rate.
This news has been met with sharp criticism from disability advocates and physicians across the province. While government will fast track the reapplication process for those who are receiving end-of-life care with palliative conditions, those who reside in continuing care homes and others with severe and profound disabilities requiring round-the-clock care will still have to undergo the assessment. It’s a decision that many physicians say defies both logic and compassion.
“It’s disappointing that all Albertans receiving AISH must now reapply to the program,” explains Dr. Sarah Bates, a Calgary family physician and president of the AMA’s Section of Family Medicine. She notes that the AISH application is notoriously time-consuming for both physicians and recipients and that the wait for approvals can take months. Many first-time applications are often denied, and patients must appeal the decision, which can also take considerable time.
“It’s a long, difficult journey for people to actually qualify for AISH,” says Dr. Bates. “Forcing disabled Albertans to undergo another medical assessment to confirm that they still qualify for AISH is punitive and excessive. Further, administrative needs will be an unnecessary drain on primary care resources.”
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