Revised Attendant Care Hourly Rate Guideline

Bulletin

No. A-03/17

Property & Casualty

- Auto

To the attention of all insurance companies licensed to
transact automobile insurance and health care providers in Ontario

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With this Bulletin the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) is releasing the revised Attendant Care Hourly Rate Guideline. This revised guideline comes into effect October 1, 2017.

The revised guideline has been approved by the Superintendent for use in connection with the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule – Effective September 1, 2010 (SABS). This revised guideline replaces the previously issued guideline.

Revised Attendant Care Hourly Rate Guideline

The revised Attendant Care Hourly Rate Guideline increases the maximum hourly rate for Level 2 Attendant Care Costs.

The following table outlines the revised rate:

Attendant Care Costs	Maximum Hourly Rate effective October 1, 2016	Maximum Hourly Rate effective October 1, 2017
Part 1: Hourly Rate A Level 1 Attendant Care is for routine personal care.	$14.90	$14.90
Part 2: Hourly Rate B Level 2 Attendant Care is for basic supervisory functions.	$11.40	$11.60
Part 3: Hourly Rate C Level 3 Attendant Care is for complex health/care and hygiene functions.	$21.11	$21.11

Attendant Care Costs

Maximum Hourly Rate effective October 1, 2016

Maximum Hourly Rate effective October 1, 2017

Part 1: Hourly Rate A

Level 1 Attendant Care is for routine personal care.

$14.90

Part 2: Hourly Rate B

Level 2 Attendant Care is for basic supervisory functions.

$11.40

$11.60

Part 3: Hourly Rate C

Level 3 Attendant Care is for complex health/care and hygiene functions.

$21.11

The Level 2 rate is increased to $11.60 per hour to reflect Ontario’s general minimum wage increases effective October 1, 2017.

On June 1, 2017, Ontario introduced Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017. The legislative proposals include broad ranging amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act. If passed, the legislation would increase the general minimum wage to $14.00 per hour on January 1, 2018, and then to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2019, followed by annual increases at the rate of inflation. FSCO will continue to monitor the bill and any required changes will be made to this guideline if the proposed legislation is passed.

Insurers and health care providers are also reminded that as of October 1, 2016, service providers may participate in the Form 1 Health Claims for Auto Insurance (HCAI) pilot project and can submit the completed Form 1 through the HCAI system. See Bulletin A-11/16 – Revised Assessment of Attendant Care Needs and Introduction of Form 1 for more details about the pilot project and the revised Form 1.

Authority

The revised guideline is issued by the Superintendent under section 268.3 of the Insurance Act for the purposes of the SABS and is incorporated by reference into the SABS.

Implementing the Changes

Please inform your claims staff, and any other staff who may be affected, about this change. Also ensure that you make any operational changes needed to implement this change by the effective date.