The Basics:
In Canada, health care is managed by each province. I recently moved to Ontario, and had to apply for provincial health insurance. Through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (“OHIP”), the province pays for many health services.
Individuals must apply for OHIP in person. Once approved, you will receive an Ontario health card. You can show this card when you access basic health services. Some examples include seeing a doctor, going to a walk-in clinic, or the emergency room.
To be eligible for OHIP, you must meet 3 minimum qualifications and at least 1 additional requirement.
You must meet all three of the following conditions:
01
Be physically present in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period;
02
Be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province; and
03
Make Ontario your primary residence.
You must also meet at least one of the following:
04
- are a Canadian citizen
- are an Indigenous person (registered under the federal Indian Act)
- are a permanent resident (formerly called a “landed immigrant”)
- are applying for permanent residence in Canada and:
- have submitted an application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and
- IRCC has confirmed they have reviewed the application and that you meet the eligibility requirements to apply (see document requirements) and
- you have not yet been denied
- are in Ontario on a valid work permit and are working full-time in Ontario, for an Ontario employer, for at least 6 months
- if you meet this requirement, your spouse and dependants may also qualify for OHIP
- if your work permit has expired but you hold “maintained status”, you may be eligible (please contact ServiceOntario for further information)
- are in Ontario on a valid work permit under the federal Live-in Caregiver Program
- are in Ontario on a valid work permit under the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (find more details on how to register)
- are a convention refugee or other protected person (as defined by Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)
- have a Temporary Resident Permit (only certain case types, for example 86 through 95)
- are a clergy member who can legally stay in Canada and will be ministering full time in Ontario for at least 6 months
- if you meet this requirement, your spouse and dependants may also qualify for OHIP
The Wait Period (that no longer exists)
In the past, there was a 3-month wait period for OHIP coverage. While this posed accessibility and portability issues, this is actually no longer the case. You will now immediately have health insurance coverage when you arrive in Ontario.
This is a great development, but I’ve found that not that many people are aware of this change. I was not! Initially, I was told that there is a 3-month wait period for insurance coverage. I made all my plans based off that information. Don’t make the same mistake I did!
Applying for OHIP
To apply for OHIP, you must do so in-person at a ServiceOntario centre. There are a variety of documents that you need to bring with you to apply, including identity documents and an application form. A full list of accepted identification documents are available on the OHIP website.
Complete the application form digitally or by hand. It It needs to be printed and brought in with you to your appointment. I filled out most of the application form digitally, but some of the entries I had to complete by hand as the digital document would not accept my answers. For example, the entry asking me to input my Manitoba health card number would only accept a 10-digit number. Manitoba health cards are not 10-digit numbers.
The application form is relatively straight-forward and short – it is only 1 page.
I have also heard of some centres not accepting some people’s identity documents, even though they are on the list provided. One of the types of identification documents required is “an original, printed or digital/electronic one that proves you live in Ontario”. My friend tried using a printed copy of her internet bill. She was turned away and told it had to be a physical bill mailed to her home, even though the website clearly states that printed copies are accepted. I wanted to play it safe and brought a printed copy of my internet bill and renter’s insurance. They both worked for me.
The Accessibility Issue:
Scheduling Appointments:
The requirement for in-person applications for Ontario health cards raises significant concerns about inclusivity. Consider my scenario: there are often times where severe nausea, a classic symptom of my illness, prevents me from traveling in a car or using public transportation.
While waiting for a better day when I might feel well enough to go in person could be an option, it’s important to note that ServiceOntario strongly recommends online appointment booking to cut down on wait times (which you can book here). When I applied, there were no available appointments at any ServiceOntario locations in my city for at least 3 weeks.
Additionally, all the ServiceOntario’s in my city are only open from 8:30-5:00pm, Monday through Friday. In addition to scheduling the appointment in advance, individuals must take time off work to attend. This often cannot be done on short notice, i.e. waiting for a day when I wake up feeling well enough to go. This could pose a significant issue for those dealing with chronic illness, as they may want or need to conserve their leave for potential future flare-ups when they will need time off.
Photographs:
The primary rationale behind the in-person application requirement is the need for a photograph on the health card, which they claim necessitates an in-person photo. This reasoning kind of makes no sense, considering that Ontario previously issued ‘red and white’ health cards that did not have photos on them and never expired. These cards are no longer issued. Other provinces, such as Manitoba, don’t put photos on health cards.
Passport applications, for example, require you to submit your own photos taken at a professional studio (such as Walmart, Shopper’s Drug Mart, or another photo studio). While this still requires someone to go in-person to have the photos taken, it is much more flexible as many of these locations have longer hours. One issue with this approach however, is that individuals then need to pay for the photos out-of-pocket. So, this may not be a solution either because as it stands, OHIP applications are health cards are free.
During the pandemic, individuals could apply online. This demonstrates the feasibility of such an approach. Reinstating an option that does not require a photo and allows individuals to apply online would make the program much more inclusive, particularly for those dealing with chronic illnesses and disabilities who may find it exceptionally challenging to appear in person.
Do you have other suggestions on how this program could be more inclusive? Let me know in the comments or by private message!