Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 1/6/2017 (1211 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After hinting for months that subsidies for chiropractic services could be cut, the Progressive Conservative government has gone ahead and slashed funding by $4.8 million.

The Manitoba Chiropractors Association informed its members of the cuts, which will see provincial funding capped at a maximum of seven visits annually instead of 12, in a hastily convened meeting Wednesday night.

Although the news "wasn’t exactly a surprise," spokesman Dr. Greg Stewart said the association is worried the cuts will disproportionately hurt seniors, working Manitobans, and low-income residents. There are currently more than 280 chiropractors working in Manitoba.

"We’re concerned about having these patients actually being driven into more expensive care, specifically emergency rooms," he said.

In March, the provincial government indicated it might cut chiropractic funding in an attempt to tackle a massive budget deficit. In 2016, the government spent almost $12 million on the service as part of a five-year funding agreement signed by the former NDP government and set to last until March 31, 2020. The decision to cut would have been in keeping with other provincial governments as Manitoba is the only one across Canada that offers broad coverage for chiropractic patients.

"On one hand, we can safely say this is a problem of access," said Stewart. "On the other hand, we do applaud the government for continuing to see value in support of funding for chiropractic care."

Under the new provincial decision, chiropractors would bill the province $8.20 per patient visit starting immediately, down from $12.30. However, that amount would go up to $10 on April 1, 2018.

Despite the cuts, Stewart said the association still anticipates the majority of Manitobans will be able to access the care they need. The association’s studies show 75 per cent of patients are treated in seven visits or less, meaning the funding cut from 12 visits to seven likely won’t be an issue for many patients.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen declined to comment Thursday, citing Manitoba's Election Financing Act, which restricts what government officials can and can't say during a byelection period.

jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca