IFHP

Migrants suffer cuts to health-care amid changes to immigration law

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) is a national program designed to provide temporary care to vulnerable groups, such as refugees, until they are eligible for permanent public health insurance. Since its inception in 1957, the policy has undergone significant shifts. In 2012, then prime minister Stephen Harper introduced dramatic cuts to the program, resulting in a total denial of health-care for some refugees, and a drastic reduction for most. With treatments such as medications or prosthetics left uncovered, serious pushback from health care workers ensued. Ultimately the cuts were found to be unconstitutional, and…

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