Nearly 100 people gathered in Sackville, N.B. to protest the privatization of two new health care programs Saturday.

The province says the changes will take effect in 2018, but groups and especially seniors say they’re left with too many unanswered questions.

Retired nurse Shirley Oliver managed the Tantramar branch of the extramural program for 16 years and says she fears the local branch could be closed once the program is taken over.

“I've seen them, I lived it, I worked in it, and I know, I’m absolutely sure that I know how it works better than a politician and better than Medavie,” Oliver says.

In September, New Brunswick announced the telecare and extramural nursing programs would be managed by the Moncton-based private company Medavie starting in Jaunary. The province signed a ten-year contract that will cost $4.4 million in the first year.

New Brunswick Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care Lisa Harris says the province is working to help seniors get the care they need.

“We have a great system, but we are certainly working very hard to allow seniors to remain in their home and give them the person-centered care they deserve,” says Harris.

Harris also says the new programs will streamline services, as Medavie already runs the paramedic service ambulance New Brunswick. She adds that the company already has a system in place that would cost the province a lot of money and take time to replicate.

“We're still going to still have the extramural program that we have, but the telecare and ambulance service, and the paramedics will be able to assist,” she says.

The Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights say they still have worries about the programs.

“We believe anything clinical dealing with healthcare needs to stay in the public domain so we can question the government,” says the coalition’s executive director, Cecile Cassista. “They should be accountable to us. The transfer money comes from Ottawa, and that's where it should be.”

Under the change, only managers will become employees of Medavie and union pensions and collective agreements will be honoured.

Citizens at the protest meeting say they’re still on the hunt for answers, signing petitions, and holding out hope that something will change before the new year.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.