Jelly Herrera: Administration

Inefficiencies Dept: The article about Jelly Herrera, who lost her medicare status when she applied for permanent-resident status, was not surprising to us and merely confirmed our thoughts about the inefficiencies in the administration of the health-care system here. Having lived here for four years following our move from the U.K., having paid close to $500,000 in income tax, our latest work permits were delayed by the "backlogs" in the immigration service, according to Montreal Gazette. Off we went to the offices of the R gie de l'assurance maladie, confident that our family including a diabetic and a child could once again have access to health services. But no, RAMQ has now decided, despite clear evidence that our residence has been continuous, that because immigration failed to note "status maintained" on the work permits we will have to wait a second three-month period. "" Re: "Cancer victim has 'fallen through the cracks' " Gazette, Dec. 20 . No work permit equals no medicare, so imagine our relief when two months late, the much-needed permits were obtained at the border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.