Can I get healthcare services after I make a refugee claim in Canada?

The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides free basic healthcare coverage to:

refugee claimants,
some people who are eligible for a (PRRA), and
other eligible groups

IFHP basic coverage is similar to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) that permanent residents and citizens use.

IFHP also helps pay for eligible prescription medications and some health services and products through co-payments.

Co-payment means you pay part of the cost and IFHP pays the rest.

Getting healthcare through IFHP

You must choose a healthcare provider who accepts IFHP. And you must show them your:

Refugee Protection Identity Document (RPID), or
Acknowledgement of Claim letter (AOC).

Basic medical services are free. IFHP reimburses your healthcare provider for the cost of the medical care they gave you.

If there's a co-payment, you pay the healthcare provider part of the cost and IFHP pays them the rest.

If your claim is accepted

You get status if:

your refugee claim is accepted, or
your PRRA is accepted, in most cases.

If you have protected person status, you can apply for OHIP.

You should apply right away since your IFHP coverage ends 90 days after:

your refugee claim is accepted, or
your PRRA is accepted, in most cases.

Get help

Medavie Blue Cross manages claims for the IFHP. You can call them at 1-888-614-1880 for questions about coverage or finding a provider. For TTY, call 711.

For help with the IFHP, you can also contact:

Health 811

You can call 811 for free non-emergency health advice from a nurse, and referrals to services through Health 811. For TTY, call 711 and ask for 811. And you can speak with the free Refugee HealthLine for refugee-specific referrals in a variety of languages. You can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You do not need OHIP or IFHP to use these services.