Health
Manitoba Health Card
Manitoba Health issues a card (registration certificate) to all Manitoba residents, which includes a 9-digit lifetime identification number for each family member. The white paper card has purple and red print, and includes the previous 6-digit family or single person’s registration number, name and address of the Manitoba resident, family member’s given name and alternate (if applicable), sex, birthdates, effective date of coverage, and 9-digit Personal Health Identification Number (PHIN).
Registration certificates issued by the Insured Benefits Branch confirm eligibility, provided you continue to live in Manitoba. Carry your certificate with you at all times and present it whenever you or your dependants require health services.
Your registration is affected by any change in location or family status. Please report a new address, marriage, birth, adoption, death, divorce or legal separation to the Insured Benefits Branch.
Registration certificates entitle persons named on the certificate to health benefits. It is an offense under the Health Services Insurance Act to allow a person to use the certificate whose name is not recorded on the certificate.
If you lose your certificate, be sure to write or telephone the Insured Benefits Branch for a replacement. For more information:
Insured Benefits Branch, Manitoba Health
300 Carlton Street, 786-7101, 1-800-392-1207
Deaf Access Line TTY/TDD: 774-8618
www.gov.mb.ca/health
Inuit and health- Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB)
In order to get benefits covered, you need your N number. This is not found on the Nunavut health card or the NTI enrolment card. In order to get your N number you need to call non-insured health benefits.
Health Canada provides eligible Inuit with a specified range of medically necessary health-related goods and services when they are not covered through private insurance plans or provincial/territorial health and social programs.
NIHB include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication, medical supplies and equipment, short-term crisis counselling, dental care, vision care, and medical transportation.
Benefit Criteria
A benefit will be considered for coverage when:
- The item or service is on a NIHB program benefit list or NIHB schedule.
- It is intended for use in a home or other ambulatory care settings.
- Prior approval or predetermination is obtained (if required).
- It is not available through any other federal, provincial, territorial, or private health or social program.
- The item is prescribed by a physician, dental care provider, or other health professional licensed to prescribe.
- The item is provided by a recognized provider.
Who is an Eligible Recipient?
An eligible recipient is someone who is entitled to receive benefits such as vision care, prescription drugs, or other benefits and services from the NIHB program.
An eligible recipient must be identified as a resident of Canada and one of the following:
- an Inuk recognized by one of the Inuit Land Claim organizations
- an infant less than one year of age whose parent is an eligible recipient.
When recipients are eligible for benefits under a private health care plan or public health or social program, claims must be submitted to these plans and programs first before submitting them to the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program.
Service providers are encouraged to bill the program directly so recipients do not face charges at the point of service when receiving health care goods or services.
When a recipient does pay directly for goods or services, he or she may seek reimbursement from the NIHB program. Requests for reimbursement must be received on a NIHB Client Reimbursement Request Form within one year from the date of service or date of purchase.
All requests for reimbursement of eligible benefits must include:
- Original receipts with cost breakdown (e.g., dispensing fees, unit cost and the Drug Identification Number (DIN) for drugs)
- Recipient's name, address, identification number (N number) or other health care number
- A copy of the prescription
- A completed recipient authorization section on the NIHB Client Reimbursement Request Form.
To obtain the NIHB Client Reimbursement Request Form, call 1-800-665-8507 or visit: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia
Mail your request for reimbursement to:
Non-Insured Health Benefits, First Nations and Inuit Health
Health Canada
391 York Avenue, Suite 300
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4W1
Benefits provided include:
- Drugs
- Medical Transportation
- Dental
- Medical Supplies and Equipment
- Vision
- Crisis Intervention Counselling
- Provincial health care premiums, where applicable
- Drugs (Pharmaceutical Services)
Territory Health Branch Information
If you require further assistance, it may be a good idea to phone the region you are from.
- Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, 1-867-645-5400
- Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, 1-819-964-2222
- Nunatsiavut Government, Department of Health and Social
Development Regional Office
P.O. Box 496, Station C
Happy Valley, Goose Bay, Labrador, A0P 1C0
1-866-606-9750
Prescription Drugs
What is covered?
Who can prescribe under the NIHB program?
- A doctor or other health professional licensed to prescribe by a province or territory.
Who can provide drug benefits?
- Drug benefits must be provided by a registered pharmacist.
How do you access drug benefits?
- Visit your doctor, or any other licensed prescriber who may give you a prescription.
- Bring the prescription to a pharmacy, to a nursing station or health centre, who may arrange to have the prescription sent to a local pharmacy.
- In some cases the pharmacist may have to obtain approval from Health Canada before filling the prescription.
When does the pharmacist have to obtain approval before billing the NIHB Program for a prescription?
- The NIHB program maintains a comprehensive Drug Benefit List. In most cases the drugs that are prescribed are on the list and the pharmacist can give them to you right away.
In order to provide your prescription drugs, the pharmacist must obtain approval when:
- The drug you have been prescribed is not on the NIHB Drug Benefit List
- The doctor has written “no substitution” on your prescription
- The drug you have been prescribed is listed as a 'limited use' drug requiring prior approval
- It is a “maximum allowable” drug
What does your drug plan cover?
The “lowest cost alternative drug” which is commonly known as a generic drug. The policy of the NIHB program is to reimburse only the best price alternative or equivalent product in a group of interchangeable drug products.
The NIHB program will pay for medicine with a higher cost, if the patient has had an adverse reaction to the generic drug.
What is a “limited use” drug?
- Limited use drugs have established criteria which the recipient must meet in order for the NIHB program to cover the cost.
What does the term “maximum allowable” mean?
- For health and safety reasons maximum quantities have been placed on some drugs. The NIHB program recognizes that some patients may require more than the maximum allowable quantities of drugs to manage their conditions. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis.
What is the process to obtain approval before billing the NIHB program for a prescription?
- The pharmacist will call the national NIHB Drug Exception Centre. The centre will request details about the prescription, prescriber and pharmacist.
- If required, the Drug Exception Centre analyst will fax a copy of the Exception or Limited Use Drug Request Form to your doctor. Your doctor or licensed prescriber will complete the form stating the exceptional medical need for the drug.
- The response will be reviewed and a decision will be made. The decision is communicated to the pharmacist. The decision process may take a few days. The time for approval is dependent on the doctor or licensed prescriber providing the information.
What are your responsibilities?
- Tell the pharmacist if you have coverage under any other plan
- Tell the pharmacist you are eligible to receive benefits under the NIHB program
- Provide your N number or other health care number
- Talk to your pharmacist about your medication and how to take it
Medical Transportation
What is covered?
- Land and water transportation
- Scheduled and chartered airlines
- Road and air ambulance
- Meals and lodging
- Escort and/or interpreter services
- Travel to the nearest health clinic or hospital to receive health services not available in your home community, or not covered by provincial or territorial travel assistance programs.
What are your responsibilities?
- Coordinate appointment times to avoid repeat trips
- Get travel approved before you go
- Obtain a confirmation of attendance slip or certification stamp from the provider
- Follow the transportation guidelines provided to you by a local NIHB regional office
- When requesting approval, you must provide your N number or other health care number
Dental
Coverage for dental services is determined on an individual basis, taking into consideration the current oral health status, past client history, accumulated scientific research, and availability of treatment alternatives.
What is covered?
- Diagnostic services (examinations, x-rays)
- Preventive services (cleanings)
- Restorative services (fillings)
- Endodontic (root canal treatments)
- Periodontics (treatment of gums)
- Prosthodontics (removable dentures and fixed bridges as an alternate benefit)
- Oral surgery (removing teeth)
- Orthodontics (straightening teeth)
- Adjunctive services (additional services like sedation)
Who can provide dental benefits?
- Dental services must be provided by a licensed dental professional such as a dentist, dental specialist or denturist.
How do you access dental benefits?
- Make an appointment with a dental provider and tell him/her that you are eligible for non-insured health benefits.
- The dental provider will examine your teeth and tell you what services you will need.
- Ask your dental provider if the service is covered under the NIHB program (certain services may need predetermination/prior approval).
- Ask the dental provider if he/she will request additional professional fees above those paid by the NIHB program.
What are your responsibilities?
- Tell the dental provider if you receive benefits under any other health plan.
- Tell the dental provider that you are eligible to receive benefits under the NIHB program.
- Give the provider your N number or other health care number.
- Visit the dental provider based on the appointments given.
- Always keep your appointments.
- Whenever you have a problem with your teeth, call your dental provider.
Medical supplies and equipment
What is covered?
- Audiology (hearing aid)
- Medical equipment (wheelchair, walker)
- Medical supplies (ostomy, bandage, dressings)
- Orthotics and custom footwear
- Pressure garments
- Prosthetics
- Oxygen therapy
- Respiratory therapy
Who can prescribe medical supplies and equipment benefits?
- Medical supplies and equipment must be prescribed by a licensed doctor or medical specialist.
How do you access medical supplies and equipment benefits?
- Visit your doctor who will examine you and may have you see a specialist or request further testing.
- Get a prescription from your licensed doctor or medical specialist.
- Take the prescription to an approved service provider.
What are your responsibilities?
- Tell the service provider if you have coverage under any other plan.
- Tell the service provider you are eligible to receive benefits under the NIHB program.
- Provide your N number or other health care number. Follow all warranty instructions and get the item repaired when necessary. If you no longer require the item (e.g., wheelchair, walker), contact the regional office above if the item can be used by someone else.
Vision
What is covered?
- Eye examinations (you should get approval for this ahead of time, in case this is not insured in your province or territory)
- Eyeglasses that are prescribed by a vision care provider
- Eyeglass repairs
- Eye prosthesis (artificial eye)
Who can prescribe vision benefits?
- The vision benefit must be prescribed by a licensed vision care professional who has studied a specific program, passed the exams and received a certificate that entitles him/her to work in that field.
- An optometrist who is licensed to check your vision and prescribe lenses to correct vision problems.
- An ophthalmologist who is a doctor and specializes in diseases of the eye.
- A licensed optometrist
- An optician (an optician prepares the eyeglasses that have been prescribed)
- An ophthalmologist
- Have your eyes examined by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Take your prescription to a recognized provider, such as an optician or optometrist.
- The recognized provider will call or fax the local NIHB regional office.
- Tell the recognized provider if you receive benefits under any other health plan.
- Tell the recognized provider you are eligible to receive benefits under the NIHB program.
- Give the provider your N number or other health care number.
- The initial assessment
- Development of a treatment plan
- Fees and associated travel costs for the professional mental health therapist when it is deemed cost-effective to provide such services in a community
- Crisis intervention counselling must be provided by therapists registered with a regulatory body from the disciplines of clinical psychology or clinical social work, in the province or territory in which the service is provided.
- In exceptional circumstances service providers from disciplines other than clinical psychology or clinical social work may be considered.
- Identify that you are a recipient of the NIHB program.
- Provide your N number or other health care number.
- Tell the service provider if you have coverage under any other plan.
- Attend your scheduled appointments.
Licensed vision care professionals include:
Who can provide vision benefits?
A recognized provider may be one of the following:
How do you access vision benefits?
What are your responsibilities?
Crisis intervention counselling
Short-term crisis intervention counselling may be provided by a recognized professional mental health therapist when no other services are available to the recipient.
What is covered?
Who can provide crisis intervention counselling?
What are your responsibilities?
Health Care Numbers
EMERGENCY - 911
Non-Emergency - 311
Poison Helpline - 787-2591
Health Sciences Centre, 820 Sherbrook St, 787-2595, www.hsc.mb.ca
Klinic Community Health Centre, 870 Portage Ave, 784-4090, www.klinic.mb.ca
St. Boniface Hospital, 409 Tache Ave, 233-8563
Victoria Hospital, 2340 Pembina Hwy, 269-3570, www.vgh.mb.ca
Concordia Hospital, 1095 Concordia Ave, 667-1560, www.concordiahospital.mb.ca
Grace Hospital, 300 Booth Dr, 837-8311
Riverview Health Centre, 1 Morley Ave, 478-6203
Distress Centres and Services:
Child Find Manitoba - 945-5735, 1-800-532-9135
Child Welfare Emergency - 944-4200
Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868
Manitoba Suicide Line - 1-877-435-7170
Teen Touch Crisis Line - 783-1116
Ikwe-widdjiitiwin Crisis Line and Shelter for Abused Women - 987-2780
Osborne House Crisis Line and Shelter for Abused Women - 942-3052
Sexual Assault Crisis Line/Klinic - 786-8631, 1-888-292-7565
Winnipeg Child and Family Services - 1-888-834-9767, E-mail: csd@gov.mb.ca
Mamawiwichitata Centre – 1-888-962-6294
94 McGregor Ave - 925-0300, 925-0349
743 Ellice - 925-0348
H-330 Blake - 925-0320
610 Spence – 925-4477
Daycare - 925-0304
Winnipeg Harvest (food bank), 1085 Winnipeg Ave, 982-3663