OTTAWA - The federal government says going back to the old system of covering all health-care costs for refugee claimants would be too complex and costly.
That argument is part of a government appeal of a Federal Court decision from July that ruled the current medical coverage violates the charter.
The 2012 changes to the interim federal health program saw the government dramatically scale back how much medical service it would cover for people waiting for refugee claims to be decided.
The surprise move prompted outrage among refugee advocates and they took the government to court, claiming the changes amounted to cruel and unusual treatment.
The court gave the government until Nov. 4 to create a new system or return to the old one, but the government says it needs more time.
Attorney Lorne Waldman, who represented the refugee advocates, questions the last-minute appeal, saying the government could have asked for a stay sooner.
