CBC News: Health Care for Immigrants
CBC News recently interviewed Alastair Clarke on the question of access to health care for immigrants. International students come to Canada to study, better themselves and hope to contribute to the Canadian economy. They build skills, develop relationships and, in some cases, adapt to Canadian values. At times, these individuals need health care. Each province in Canada has its own regulations on access to health care benefits.
In Manitoba, there is a mandatory waiting period, which can delay access to Manitoba health care for up to 3 months following your arrival in the province. That’s why so many newcomers to Canada seek out private health insurance that covers them until their Manitoba health card arrives. If the immigrant or international student does not have private health insurance, they can receive a bill for health care services. Depending on their financial situation, they can lead to additional difficulties.
In a recent case in Winnipeg, Ms Joanna Johnson-Audu did everything right. She arrived from Nigeria as an international student, applied for MPNP and went through the applications to become a Permanent Resident of Canada. For details on her path to PR, we have provided a guide. Once she was granted PR status, she applied for a Manitoba health card. In Manitoba, health care and related services are overseen by the Department of Health and Seniors Care. Like in most other provinces, all medically required services are covered under Manitoba’s health care coverage, regardless of whether they take place in a hospital, at a doctor’s office, in a personal care home, or elsewhere.
As reported by CBC News, Ms Johnson-Audu applied for her MB health card on 8 APRIL 2022. After many months, she had a health emergency and went to St Boniface hospital. As she had received her MB health card, she was billed $337 CAD for her visit to the hospital. As notes:
On July 31, the woman went to the emergency room at Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital because she was experiencing shortness of breath.
She was treated, but later billed $337 for the visit because she did not have a Manitoba Health card. She had applied for one on April 8, but still had not received it when she went to the hospital, almost four months later.
‘Lost in the bureaucracy’
Alastair Clarke, an immigration lawyer in Winnipeg, says the provincial government has an obligation to ensure people like Johnson-Audu have access to health care and other services, “and that they don’t get lost in the bureaucracy.”
“When you have an international student, and when you have immigrants and skilled workers coming … they’ve been contributing to Manitoba, they’re settled in their community,” he said.
“If they have a medical emergency, they should be able to go to the hospital without having to worry.”
Hopefully the MB officials will sort this out. In my view, this woman should not have been billed for the emergency services. That said, I have not reviewed her documents and I am not aware of what she told the hospital. We have seen other cases that have led to issues based on miscommunication and misunderstanding.
