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Material assistance program for elimination functions

Description

This program is for persons with a physical disability, intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder resulting in problems with urinary or bowel elimination. It is also for people with a tracheostomy.

Different material aids are provided by this program based on the specific needs of the person. It might be incontinence briefs, a catheter, a urine bag, gloves, syringes, cleaning solutions for the bag, etc. Suprapubic catheters (cystostomies) are eligible for this program because they are not in the RAMQ ostomy program, which covers colostomy, ileostomy or permanent urostomy.

Presentation and objectives

This program allows people living at home to have an active life in their community, by compensating for their disability with the help of material aids specific to the functions of eliminating waste produced by the body, with a view to improving social involvement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, the person must:

  • reside in Quebec and have a valid health insurance card;
  • live at home, in a private seniors’ residence (RPA) or in a family-type residence (RTF);
  • have a problem with elimination directly related to a physical disability, intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder. The link must be medically established and certified by a medical note;
  • have tried all methods of recovery, rehabilitation, intensive learning trials repeatedly over time for children or resorted to surgical intervention before submitting the request;
  • present a significant need, namely the use of at least one brief or incontinence guard per day.

Children are also eligible if they present:

  • urinary incontinence from age 5 or bowel incontinence from age 4;
  • a significant developmental delay. The child is then eligible until the diagnosis is made. Once a diagnosis linked to a physical disability, intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder is certified, definitive eligibility to the program will be confirmed. If a non-eligible diagnosis is given, eligibility will be revoked and the supplies needed for elimination functions will stop being offered to the child within three months.

Eligible persons receive the supplies at their home or as close to it as possible. If the person has private insurance coverage or coverage from the Ministère du Travail, de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, this program can cover the non-covered portion of identified needs.

A person is not eligible if he or she:

  • has temporary disabilities or incapacities;
  • presents a long-standing physical disability, with elimination problems for which there is no recognized link between the recent onset of incontinence and the physical disability already present;
  • has a loss of autonomy and incapacities linked solely to aging or if the person is in palliative care;
  • resides in an intermediate resource, a private long-term care centre (CHSLD) or in a public facility such as a CHSLD, a rehabilitation centre and a hospital;
  • requests supplies other than those specified;
  • benefits from the coverage of another provincial or federal program, for example, that offered by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec or the Minister of Veterans Affairs for the same type of aids.

Reimbursable expenses

There is no fee or deductible to pay. The program supplies the materials needed directly to those eligible based on the identified needs.

Special supplies for travel, leisure activities or a prolonged stay outside Quebec are not covered by this program. It is also not possible to obtain a retroactive reimbursement for previously purchased material aids.

Process

To enrol in this program, contact your Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) or your Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS). For contact information, consult the following page: Finding Your Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) or Your Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre This hyperlink will open in a new window..

You will need to provide a medical certificate relating to the impairment.

Help and information

Last update: May 9, 2023

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