B.C's Health Minister says wheelchair fees in long term residential care homes are not unusual and are administered fairly, including exempting those who can't afford it.
Terry Lake says it boils down to if a senior has the means then they have to foot the bill for their wheelchair.
Lake says those that don't will have a wheelchair provided.
He says the issue is being made into something it isn't by the independent MLA for Delta South.
"Ms. Huntington is actually trying to scare people and making it sound like this is something new. This is very similar to what happens in many other places. You know if we were to have universal access to all of that we would have to raise taxes significantly. That is something that I don't think a majority of British Columbians are willing to do."
Lake says nothing has changed within the health authorities but instead they are just trying to clarify what is covered and what isn't.
"We have always had a policy where by people who can't afford those wheelchairs would have one provided. What Fraser Health is saying from what I understand is that if you have the ability to pay for things that are not covered then that is what is expected just as if you were living in the community."
Lake is dismissing any claim health authorities are nickel and diming frail seniors with a wheelchair fee.
"Absolutely not true. We treat seniors in long term residential care homes very well in terms of the income levels and what they are expected to pay. We don't count assets like other provinces do and we have the highest level of retained earnings that people are left with once they pay their share of the cost."
He says seniors are assessed on a sliding scale based on their ability to pay.
Lake adds B.C. unlike other provinces also does not include assets when measuring a senior's ability to pay.