A father is crying foul after he was told MCP will no longer be providing 100 per cent coverage for medical procedures to correct his son’s bilateral cleft lip

Matthew Gill’s son Charlie was born seven years ago.

Gill says over the last several years the medical procedures needed to correct the condition were fully covered by MCP.

After a recent orthodontics appointment in Grand Falls-Windsor, he says he was informed that due to some recent changes Charlie’s medical work will only be partially covered under MCP.

Gill says the additional cost comes on top of having to travel to St. John’s and spend money on hotels to access the treatment. To help cover the unexpected expenses, the family has started a GoFundMe campaign.

He thinks the reason for the reduced coverage is because government views it as being cosmetic in nature.

But Gill argues that his son’s work isn’t cosmetic as he needs teeth pulled down from inside his palate, and he currently has all of his teeth ground down because his top ones don’t mesh with the bottom ones. “He severely needs orthodontic work,” says Gill.

Gill says he is especially miffed by the news considering that an advisor’s hefty salary in the premier’s office is being paid for by MCP.

VOCM News has reached out to the department of health for comment.