You must have a PEI health card. valid to receive publicly funded health care services in Prince Edward Island. If you do not have a PEI health card, you will be billed for medical and hospital services. You will be asked for your health insurance card each time you visit a doctor’s office or each time you have a medical examination or treatment at a health center. Your pharmacist will also need your health card to register your prescription drugs in the PEI Drug Information System.

Am I eligible for a PEI health card? If you are a PEI resident, you are eligible for a PEI Health Card. You are considered a resident of PEI. if :

• you are legally in Canada; Yes • permanently resides in Prince Edward Island (PEI) and is present there for at least six months and one day per year, or has received special authorization from the Department of Health from PEI You are not eligible for a PEI health card. if you are : • a foreign student (without a work visa), tourist, or if you are transiting or visiting Prince Edward Island;

• a member of the Canadian Armed Forces; • an inmate of a federal penitentiary; or • eligible for certain services under other government programs, such as workers’ compensation or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

How do I register for a PEI health card? Submit a completed health card application to the PEI Department of Health. Will my health card have to be renewed? PEI Health Cards must be renewed every five years. You will receive a renewal notice in the mail approximately two months before your card expires. If I move or my contact information changes, should I notify the PEI Department of Health? It is important that the PEI Health Unit have your current address and contact information in order to communicate with you and ensure continued coverage. Call 1-800-321-5492 toll free to notify you of any changes.

Am I eligible for Medicare if I move to PEI? from another province? Once you arrive in PEI, you must register for a PEI health card. However, you will still be covered by your former province of residence for the first three months. The coverage of PEI will begin on the first day of the third month following the date you become a permanent resident. For example, if you arrive on July 4, you will be eligible on October 1. Am I eligible for health coverage if I move to PEI? from outside Canada? You may be eligible from the first day you become a permanent resident. Contact the PEI Health Department. to apply for the PEI health card. You will need to provide proof of Canadian citizenship or confirm your status in Canada with the Department of Immigration.

A permanent resident can be: • Newly arrived immigrant; • returnees to Canada; • Returning Canadians; • permanent residents returning to Canada; or • a Canadian citizen or the spouse of a Canadian citizen who is residing in Prince Edward Island for the first time If you are in Canada on a work visa, authority permit, or other immigration document, contact the PEI Department of Health. to discuss your eligibility. Am I eligible for health coverage when traveling outside of PEI? If you are traveling to Canada, your PEI Health Card will cover emergency or sudden illness care services. Notify the PEI Department of Health. if your absence will last more than a month in order to avoid any delay in the payment of services outside the province. Indicate the departure and return dates, the destination and the reason for the absence. For example, a student at a university off the island, an extended winter vacation or a sabbatical.

If you are traveling outside of Canada, your PEI Health Card. will cover emergency or sudden illness care services. The cost of services outside of Canada can be significantly higher and you will need to pay medical bills up front. You must submit the itemized bill and proof of payment to PEI Health within six months of the date of service. Prince Edward Island will reimburse you for the fees in Canadian currency. You will be responsible for paying the difference between the amount billed and the amount paid by the PEI Department of Health.

It is recommended to take out private health insurance for the period of absence. Am I eligible for coverage if I leave PEI? permanently? Please notify the PEI Department of Health. if you are leaving the province permanently. You must register in your new province within the first 30 days to ensure uninterrupted coverage. If you stay in Canada, you will be eligible for PEI Medicare. until the last day of the second month following the date of your arrival in your new province of residence. For example, if you move on July 4, you will be covered until September 30.

If you leave Canada, your coverage ends on the day you leave PEI. What happens if I lose my health card? You can apply for a replacement health card. You must pay $ 10 for each replacement card, with a maximum charge of $ 50 per household.

What types of services are covered by my PEI health card? Your PEI health card. will give you access to a wide range of health care services. For example, you will be covered by most medical and hospital services, as well as other services offered by the PEI Health Department such as home care, palliative care, long-term care, addiction services, mental health services. and primary care services (public health dental services, chronic disease prevention and control, nursing services, diabetes program, community nutrition, cancer detection programs, pathology, etc.). How do I use my PEI health card? to indicate my desire to become an organ or tissue donor? You can register as an organ or tissue donor when applying for or renewing your PEI health card. by affixing a red label indicated on the back of your card.