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Questions
& Answers about social programs
MEDICAL PLAN How do you obtain medical services? How do you get a health card? Who is eligible to receive a health card? How soon are you eligible? Is your health card accepted throughout Canada? How are medical services paid for? What medical services are NOT covered? INCOME SECURITY What kinds of income security benefits are available? Who can receive income security benefits? What is a Social Insurance Number (SIN)? CANADA CHILD TAX BENEFIT OLD AGE SECURITY, GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT AND SPOUSE'S ALLOWANCE CANADA AND QUEBEC PENSION PLANS EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE WORKERS' COMPENSATION  |
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Q: How do you obtain medical services? A: Medical services are available from hospitals, doctors and other health care providers. Persons without health insurance coverage are charged directly for these services. Insurance coverage for essential medical services is available to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Each person carries a personal health card which must be shown at the reception desk of the doctor or hospital. Each province has its own particular requirements to obtain a health insurance card so it is important to contact a provincial ministry of health office in the province you reside. Q: How do you get a health card? A: You can apply for a health card at the provincial ministry of health office in your city. You will find the address in the provincial government listings in your telephone book. Take with you your birth certificate, Canada Immigration visa (Record of Landing) and passport. Some provinces also request further documentation showing your name and address and your signature. All members of your family must have their own coverage. Take their documents with you, and ask the government officer for information about registering them. A: Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible in all provinces. Certain persons in Canada for a temporary period of time (e.g., temporary workers, holders of a Minister's permit, foreign students, and refugees whose status has been confirmed by the Immigration Refugee Board) are also eligible in some provinces. Essential health care services are available to refugee claimants through the Interim Federal Health Program at Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Q: How soon are you eligible? A: Permanent residents are eligible immediately, except in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick where there is a three-month waiting period. Persons in Canada temporarily and holding Immigration Canada documentation (e.g., temporary workers, holders of a Minister's permit and foreign students) have different waiting periods, depending on the province. For more information, contact the provincial ministry of health. A: For permanent residents, your health card is primarily for use in the province you live in. If you move to another province, reapply as soon as possible. There are waiting periods before you can be covered, although you are covered by the health plan of the province you left for a certain amount of time. If you are visiting another province, your card can be used in an emergency. Residents residing in a province for a temporary period should contact the provincial health insurance plan office in the province of permanent residence for further clarification concerning their coverage throughout Canada. Q: How are medical services paid for? A: Most medical services are paid for by various tax measures. Basic hospital charges and doctors' fees are covered. Two provinces charge premiums (British Columbia and Alberta). In general, insured services are provided on a prepaid basis, i.e. provincial plans pay the hospital or doctor directly for services they provide to eligible residents. A: Provinces do not pay for services that are medically unnecessary, such as cosmetic surgery. Some provinces provide coverage for non-medical service coverage, such as prescription drugs and assistive devices. These may require a co-payment by the patient. Q: What kinds of income security benefits are available? A: Governments at the federal, provincial and municipal level help people who are unable to provide for themselves and their families. Special programs help people in different circumstances, such as: raising children (Canada Child Tax Benefit), retirement (Canada Pension/Quebec Pension, Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement), job-related injuries (Workers' Compensation), the loss of a job (Employment Insurance), longer-term unemployment (Social Assistance). A: Most benefits are for people in specific circumstances. You must qualify for each type of government assistance. For some benefits, you must pay into the plan to be eligible to receive them. Sometimes, a person or family may qualify for more than one kind of income security, but each has separate application or procedures and rules to ensure that benefits only go to those who need them. To qualify for any benefits, you must have a Social Insurance Number. Q: What is a Social Insurance Number (SIN)? A: A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is an identification number given to each person for the purposes of income tax, Employment Insurance, old age pension, etc. Most newcomers receive an application form for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) when they first arrive in Canada. If you did not get one, you can apply at any Human Resource Centre of Canada (HRCC). You will need to show your birth certificate, Canada Immigration visa (Record of Landing) and passport. There is a small administrative fee. Forms are also available at Canada Post offices and through many immigrant-serving agencies. The federal government provides monthly payments to parents or guardians on behalf of children under the age of 18, through a program called the Canada Child Tax Benefit. It is usually paid to the mother of the child if the child lives with her. The amount is different according to family income, number of children and their ages. Who is eligible? To be considered for the Canada Child Tax Benefit you must be the parent or guardian of the child who lives with you. In addition, you or your spouse must be either:How do you apply? Send an application form to the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and show documents such as Record of Landing or passport. Proof of birth must also be provided for each child. You may also contact a Client Service Centre, Income Security Program, Human Resources Development Canada. For further information, look in the government pages of your telephone book. The Old Age Security (OAS) pension is given to people 65 and over who meet residence requirements. Those who have little or no other income may be eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). The spouse (between the ages of 60 and 64) of a low income or deceased pensioner may qualify for the Spouse's Allowance (SPA). Who is eligible? If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who has lived in Canada for 40 years after the age of 18, you are eligible for a full OAS pension. People who have lived in Canada for less than 40 years may get a reduced pension. Permanent residents from some countries may be able to receive old age security from their previous country of residence. Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Spouse's Allowance (SPA) are available to people who can prove they need the money.How do you apply? You can apply to a client Service Centre, Income Security Program Branch of Human Resources Development Canada. You will find these listed in the government pages of the telephone book. You will need a birth or baptismal certificate, passport or Canada Immigration visa (Record of Landing). Canada and Quebec Pension Plans are a form of insurance to which people must contribute during their working years, to receive monthly payments starting at age 65. A reduced pension is available at age 60. These plans also include survivor's pensions for the spouses of deceased pensioners, disability pensions and children's and death benefits. Who is eligible? - Canadian citizens,How do you apply? You can apply to a Client Service Centre, Income Security Programs, Human Resources Development Canada. You will find these listed in the government pages of the telephone book. You will need a birth or baptismal certificate, passport or Canada Immigration visa (Record of Landing). Who is eligible? You are eligible if you have made payments to Employment Insurance (EI) while you were working over a minimum time, and if you lose your job through no fault of your own. You may also be eligible for benefits if your reason of unemployment is the birth or adoption of a child, enrolment in a national training program, work sharing or job training.How do you apply? You must apply to the Human Resource Centre of Canada (HRCC) nearest you. Consult the government directory pages of the telephone book. Social Assistance, often called welfare, helps people in need who are not eligible for other benefits. Benefit payments help pay for food, shelter, fuel, clothing, prescription drugs, and other health services. Eligibility rules and the size of payment are different from region to region. In some cases, you may be eligible for programs to train you for the work that is available. Social Assistance is usually administered though local offices of the provincial or municipal departments of social services. WORKERS' COMPENSATION People injured while at work may be eligible to receive financial benefits, medical and rehabilitative services. The provincial Workers' Compensation Board offices decide if you qualify for compensation, based on medical reports and proof that your injury was work-related. |
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