Introduction: On June 30, 2012, Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) funding was cut for refugee claimant healthcare. The potential financial and healthcare impacts of these cuts on refugee claimants are unknown. Methods: We conducted a one-year retrospective chart review spanning 6 months before and after IFHP funding cuts at The Hospital for Sick Children, a tertiary care children's hospital in Toronto. We analyzed emergency room visits characteristics, admission rates, reasons for admission, and financial records including billing from Medavie Blue Cross. Results: There were 173 refugee children visits to the emergency room in the six months before and 142 visits in the six months after funding cuts. The total amount billed to the IFHP program during the one-year of this study was $131,615. Prior to the IFHP cuts, 46% of the total emergency room bills were paid by IFHP compared to 7% after the cuts (p<0.001). Interpretation: After the cuts to the IFHP, The Hospital for Sick Children was unable to obtain federal health coverage for the vast majority of refugee claimant children registered under the IFHP. This preliminary analysis showed that post-IFHP cuts healthcare costs at the largest tertiary pediatric institution in the country increased. © 2014 Evans et al.

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medical record review tertiary health care hospital admission refugee economics health care policy health insurance human Refugees statistics and numerical data pediatric hospital length of stay emergency ward program cost effectiveness program impact health care cost health program Humans male Canada female Article legislation and jurisprudence major clinical study emergency health service Patient Admission ambulatory care child health care Emergency Service, Hospital Health Policy retrospective study Delivery of Health Care health care delivery Child