Whereas people who are postpartum may experience pelvic floor dysfunction, including incontinence, pain, and prolapse, as a direct result of pregnancy and childbirth, which significantly impacts quality of life, mental health, long-term physical well-being and creates inequitable financial burdens; And whereas the Canadian Physiotherapy Association recognizes pelvic floor physiotherapy as an evidence-based, non-invasive treatment option that improves postpartum recovery; however, the lack of both equitable access to pelvic floor physiotherapy and education about the benefits contributes to healthcare costs associated with untreated pelvic floor dysfunction, including corrective surgeries, chronic conditions and the expense of personal hygiene products: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the provincial government to work with healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, obstetricians, midwives and nurse practitioners to ensure postpartum care involves informing patients about and provides patients equitable access to pelvic floor assessments and physiotherapy services, regardless of income or insurance status; And be it further resolved that the provincial government implement a program to provide free pelvic floor physiotherapy treatments as part of the standard postpartum care under the BC Medical Services Plan MSP.
Ministry of Health Most patients in BC pay privately for supplementary health services such as physiotherapy, or obtain reimbursement through their private extended health plan. The exception to the above is the Medical Services Plan MSP Supplementary Benefits Program. For eligible individuals, the Supplementary Benefits Program contributes 23 towards the cost of each visit for a maximum of 10 visits per year, summed across the following six services: acupuncture, chiropractor, massage therapy, naturopath, non-surgical podiatry, and physiotherapy. Recipients of income assistance may also qualify for an additional 12 visits through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. In Canada, funding for the services of supplementary health care practitioners like physiotherapy is determined by each province and varies depending on the priorities and available resources of a given province. The Government of BC acknowledges the importance of pelvic floor physiotherapy services, especially as part of postpartum care, and is committed to supporting individuals in accessing this vital service. However, due to limited funding under the MSP, there are constraints on the number of services or benefits that can be covered. At this time, sufficient funding is not available to fully cover pelvic floor physiotherapy. This is not a comment on the value of this service but rather reflects the limits of available public funding. This input is valued and will be taken into consideration as the Province continues to assess priorities and future opportunities to strengthen access to publicly funded health services within available resources.