The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides basic, supplemental and prescription drug coverage within Canada to all eligible beneficiaries. This includes:

• Resettled Refugees

• Protected persons in Canada

• Refugee claimants

• Victims of human trafficking

• Victims of domestic violence

• Detainees

For information regarding the length of coverage for each of these groups, please click here.

Any of the following records will serve as evidence of your qualification for the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP):

An Acknowledgement of Claim and Notice to Return for Interview Letter: This letter is issued to you once you have submitted a refugee claim and have been scheduled for an interview.

A Refugee Protection Claimant Document: This document is provided to you after your interview. It indicates that your refugee claim has either been referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), or if it is deemed ineligible for referral to the IRB, you are still eligible to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment.

An Interim Federal Health Certificate: This certificate is granted to resettled refugees who are relocating to Canada or to individuals belonging to other eligible beneficiary groups.

Your IFHP eligibility document will be given to you by an officer from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or the Canada Border Services Agency.

In most cases, your supplemental and prescription drug coverage will be valid for 12 months from the date you arrive in Canada. If you are still eligible after this, you must apply to extend your IFHP coverage or contact the Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada office in your area. You can call the CIC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 to find out when your IFHP coverage expires and request application forms for the IFHP extension.

Convention refugees are not eligible for Ontario Works during the period in which they are eligible for the RAP or the PSR and JAS programs. When the sponsorship/eligibility period for RAP expires or the private sponsorship concludes or breaks down, a convention refugee may be eligible for Ontario Works.

Yes, in emergency situations, you can receive immediate health care services. However, for non-emergency services, it is recommended to apply for IFHP coverage as soon as possible to ensure you have adequate health insurance coverage.

The IFHP covers a range of essential health services, including hospital care, physician services, laboratory and diagnostic tests, prescription medications, and essential dental and vision care. Basic coverage details can be found here and supplemental coverage details can be found here.

For the following groups of beneficiaries, the IFHP also covers the cost of one Immigration Medical Exam (IME) in Canada as needed:

• refugee claimants

• victims of human trafficking

• victims of domestic violence

• immigration detainees held under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)

  The IFHP also covers the cost of one IME up to $179.44 and IME-related diagnostic tests required under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act. The services must be performed by a panel physician. Details on coverage can be found here.

Yes, prescription medications are covered under the IFHP, including those prescribed by a physician or specialist. However, there may be restrictions. Coverage for medications based on province or territory can be found here.

Yes, you can choose any doctor or health care provider who is eligible to provide services covered under the IFHP. It is important to inform the health care provider about your IFHP coverage to ensure proper billing. To find a healthcare provider near you you can utilize this interactive search tool.

Yes, IFHP provides coverage for mental health services, including Psychotherapy, Counseling, or Psychology Counseling in a Private Clinic or Addiction Centre. These services are limited to resettled refugees. The coverage is eligible for up to a maximum of 10 one-hour sessions, not including the initial assessment.

The fees per province/territory for initial assessment and subsequent individual treatments, per hour are as follows: (BC = $160), (AB = $170), (SK = $110), (MB, PE, NL = $150), (ON = $205), (QC = $125), (NB, NT, NU, YT = $130), (NS = $140).

For additional information please refer to the IFHP Benefit Grid which can be found here.

IFHP dental coverage provides coverage for emergency care for dental conditions involving pain, infection or trauma. Preventative dental care is not covered. This includes amalgam/composite restorations for severely affected teeth, complicated extractions, complete or partial dentures, and general anesthesia.

Additional details on coverage if you live outside of Quebec can be found here. If you reside in Quebec - please refer to the benefit grid found here.

Medavie Blue Cross may send you a letter requesting confirmation regarding the receipt of health services or products on a specific date.

You are advised to:

• Provide an answer to the inquiry.

• Sign the letter.

• Return the letter to Medavie Blue Cross.

It's important to note that this letter is not a bill. Its purpose is to safeguard against fraudulent activities. Signing this letter will not have any impact on your healthcare coverage or immigration status.

Upon receiving medical treatment, your healthcare provider may provide you with a claim form. Your signature on this form is necessary to verify that you have indeed received the healthcare service or product. If the service or product you received is eligible for coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program, you will not be required to make any payment for it.