Mitigation plans for excessive demand

A mitigation plan explains what you’ll do to make sure you won’t cause an excessive demand on health or social services. Not everyone can give a mitigation plan. If it applies to you, you’ll be invited to send us one. Your plan must be credible, detailed and individual to you.

Health services

This includes any health service where most of the cost is paid by the government.

For example, services or care given by:

• doctors
• medical specialists
• nurses
• chiropractors
• physiotherapists
• laboratories
• pharmacists
• hospitals

Social services

Social services help people to function physically, emotionally, socially, psychologically or vocationally (at work). Most of the cost for social services are paid by government or through publicly funded agencies.

Examples include:

• home care
• specialized residences
• residential services
• special education
• social and vocational rehabilitation
• personal support
• devices that support social services

Your mitigation plan explains how you’ll support future expenses related to your health condition, such as:

• outpatient prescription medication
  • for example, if you have employer-based health insurance that covers the cost of your medication
• social services
  • for example, if you find a private long-term care facility that is willing to take you and you have the financial means to pay the cost

You can’t opt out of publicly-funded health services, except for outpatient prescription medication in some provinces or territories. So you can’t submit a mitigation plan to cover the cost of health services.

How to prepare a mitigation plan

You need to include your mitigation plan in your response to the procedural fairness letter we sent you.

Your plan must show:

• how the services you need will be provided
• how you’ll pay for those services
• what your financial situation will be for the entire time you need services (include financial documents)

You must also submit a signed Declaration of Ability and Willingness form. When you sign this form, it means that you agree to take responsibility for arranging the services that you’ll need in Canada along with their costs.

You may get advice or representation from someone to help you respond to the procedural fairness letter, but it’s not required.

Where to send your mitigation plan

Send your mitigation plan and additional information to the contact information on the letter we sent you.