Manitoba Health
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Leaving Manitoba to Travel, Work, Study or Move:
What You Need to Know About Your Insured Health Benefits
When you leave the province, you can take steps to ensure you continue to receive benefits from Manitoba Health while you are away.
The coverage you receive, and the steps you need to take before you leave, may vary depending on the circumstances of your departure. Although Manitoba Health covers a broad range of insured health services, it’s important to know what is not insured so you can better plan for yourself and your family.
If you want to know if a specific service is covered, contact the contact the Insured Benefits Branch.
- Do I have coverage when I visit another province or territory?
- Do I have coverage when I travel outside the country?
- What about prescription drugs?
- What if I’m planning an extended vacation?
- What if I leave Manitoba to attend school or university?
- What if I leave Manitoba to work elsewhere?
- Do I have coverage if I move to another province?
- What if I move to another country?
Forms
Do I have coverage when I visit another province or territory?
Yes. If you are visiting another Canadian province or territory and need hospital or medical care, show your Manitoba Health card. In most cases, the doctor and hospital bills will be sent directly to Manitoba Health for processing.
Do I have coverage when I travel outside the country?
You are responsible for some of the costs of emergency hospital or medical care when you travel outside of Canada. That’s why it’s always a good idea to buy travel health insurance before you leave. Health care services in other countries, particularly the United States, can be significantly more expensive than here in Manitoba.
If you are admitted on an emergency basis to a hospital outside of Canada, Manitoba Health will pay for the services you need based on established daily rates. If you are seen in a hospital outpatient or emergency department, coverage is limited to a maximum of $100 CDN per visit. Physician services are covered at the same rates paid to Manitoba doctors.
In all cases, if the doctor or hospital bills you directly, be sure to get an original itemized receipt(s). Then, submit the receipt(s) within six months of the date you received care, along with an English translation if necessary, to the Insured Benefits Branch for reimbursement consideration. For visits longer than three months, refer to the section below titled What if I’m planning an extended vacation?
If you leave Manitoba specifically to receive care or treatment outside of Canada, you are fully responsible for the cost of these services. The only exception is when you have received prior approval from Manitoba Health. (See Out of Province Medical Referrals).
What about prescription drugs?
For information on prescription drugs purchased outside of Manitoba, contact the Provincial Drug Plan at (204) 786-7141, toll-free 1-800-297-8099 (within Manitoba). Prescription drugs purchased in countries other than Canada are not covered.
What if I’m planning an extended vacation?
If you are a permanent resident of Manitoba and plan to go on vacation for longer than three months, you may continue your health coverage.
To be eligible for continued coverage, you must be in Manitoba for at least 183 days (six months) of the year.These days do not have to be consecutive (i.e., 183 days in total each calendar year, not 183 days in a row).
Before leaving for any extended absence, provide the following information to the Insured Benefits Branch in writing:
- your name;
- your six-digit Manitoba Health number;
- confirmation of your permanent Manitoba address;
- the date you will leave;
- the date you plan to return;
- your out-of-province address and telephone number;
- the names of any family members who will accompany you on the trip; and
- the reason for your absence
You will get a term certificate confirming your coverage with Manitoba Health. It is important to remember you may need to purchase health insurance especially if you are traveling outside of Canada.
What if I leave Manitoba to attend school or university?
If you are leaving to attend an accredited school or university full time but are still a permanent resident of Manitoba, you need to include a letter from the school you will be attending, confirming you are enrolled as a full-time student and the length of your studies. You must reapply for coverage and provide enrolment confirmation for each year that you attend school outside of the province.
What if I leave Manitoba to work elsewhere?
If you leave Manitoba to take a temporary job, missionary work, or sabbatical leave outside Canada, Manitoba Health may extend your coverage for up to 24 months under certain conditions.
If you will be returning within 24 months, you must provide the Insured Benefits Branch with a copy of your work contract before you go. The contract must confirm your employment and outline the length of your work term. Contact the Insured Benefits Branch for more details.
Do I have coverage if I move to another province?
If you are moving away from Manitoba permanently, you must apply to Manitoba Health for an out-of-province certificate. This will cover your eligible health costs for the month in which you move to a new location in Canada, plus two additional months.
It is important that you contact the health insurance plan in your new province or territory and arrange for health coverage as soon as you arrive, so your coverage is not interrupted.
What if I move to another country?
If you are moving to live outside Canada permanently, you may be eligible for coverage provided you apply to Manitoba Health before you leave. Manitoba Health will provide coverage for eligible health costs for the month in which you move, plus two additional months.
Apply to the Insured Benefits Branch for an out-of-province certificate. Provide your six-digit Manitoba Health registration number, your full name and birth date, the date you are leaving and your new address. Manitoba Health will issue a certificate confirming the expiry date of your coverage. For more details, contact the Insured Benefits Branch.
