Kinesiologists unhappy with Bill-198 regulations

The Ontario Kinesiology Association (OKA) is speaking out against regulations in support of Ontario’s Bill-198 which they say will preclude their members from working on auto accident claims.The regulations, which come into force on October 2, are worded such that kinesiologists would be prevented from working on auto accident victims. This could affect as many as 1,000 certified kinesiologists.We’re frankly appalled that the Ontario government seems unconcerned that this piece of legislation could put 1,000 highly-skilled health-care professionals out of work, further comprising the health-care system, and increasing auto insurance costs,” says Erin Carter, OKA president. “We made numerous attempts to explain to the government that the new language in the regulations would preclude our members from providing services. Most experts have acknowledged that services of a certified kinesiologist are crucial and valuable in returning injured people to work in a timely fashion, thus saving the system money, which we believed was the purpose of the new regulations.”The OKA notes that its members are certified, including educational requirements and adherence to a code of ethics, as well as being required to carry errors & omissions insurance. Kinesiology involves the assessment, treatment and prevention of human movement disorders, and includes such things as physical assessments, rehabilitation and chronic pain management.The OKA is also unhappy with a new fee schedule imposed by the province. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) released the schedule last week, and OKA says the new rates are “unrealistic and unviable”. “Last week, the government willfully disregarded 18 months of negotiations with health-care providers and unilaterally set the fee guidelines,” says Carter. “This was intentional and has hurt our profession and every other profession in the health-care system.”