Concerns Grow Over Medicare Changes Impacting Campobello Island Residents

Officials are raising alarms about health care access for residents of Campobello Island, located between New Brunswick, Canada, and Maine, USA. St. Croix Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kathy Bockus expressed her concerns following news that some medical services would no longer be covered under Medicare. During a recent budget discussion, the finance minister confirmed that out-of-province medical visits for New Brunswick residents were included in the budget. However, Bockus learned that the Lubec Medical Centre had informed Campobello residents that regular doctor visits would no longer be reimbursed by Medicare.

Bockus noted that many residents rely on this medical facility, as a doctor visits the island only about once a week. “For years, they have received their medical care from Lubec,” Bockus remarked, questioning Health Minister Dr. John Dornan about the changes. The island’s geographic isolation complicates health care access; the only ferry service operates seasonally from spring to summer, while travel through the United States is the only alternative.

Campobello Island lacks essential services such as a grocery store or gas station, making it highly dependent on cross-border access for daily necessities. In the past summer, residents received a temporary exemption from tariffs amid ongoing trade tensions. The ferry services were extended into the fall to ease travel, but operations have since ceased.

In response to the Medicare changes, Mayor Harvey Matthews acknowledged the impact on local residents and shared an unsigned letter outlining the new Medicare policies. It indicated that regular, non-urgent office visits would not be covered under New Brunswick Medicare, although urgent medical visits would remain free. Matthews emphasized his commitment to advocating for a larger medical facility on the island, as it was initially overlooked in plans for new collaborative clinics aimed at improving timely health care access.

Currently, a collaborative clinic has been established in St. Stephen, but it is facing relocation due to space constraints at the Charlotte County Hospital. Another clinic in St. Andrews has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Horizon Health Network for renovations to enhance services.

In a statement to The Courier, Dr. Dornan noted that the Regional Medical Facility in Lubec has been a valuable partner and explained the reasoning behind the recent changes. “The recent change relates to the terms of the existing agreement between the Government of New Brunswick and the Regional Medical Centre at Lubec,” he stated. Dornan clarified that the adjustments were made because the center had been providing services beyond the original agreement, including non-urgent laboratory and radiology services that could be safely managed in New Brunswick.

He further emphasized that the changes only pertain to services that can be efficiently provided on the island, such as non-urgent laboratory tests and radiology services at the Campobello Health Centre or the Charlotte County Hospital. The government is engaged in discussions with the Lubec facility to find solutions that minimize the impact on residents while considering the operational realities faced by the medical provider.

The Courier has reached out to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for further comments and is currently awaiting a response. As the situation unfolds, the residents of Campobello Island remain at the forefront of these significant health care discussions.