who qualifies for ifhp?
Full IFH coverage was reinstated 1 April 2016. See the IRCC notice, 11 April 2016.
On 5 November 2014, coverage was extended in several important ways. A summary of the revised benefits is available at www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/summary-ifhp.asp. For information on eligible and coverage, see also www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/arriving-healthcare/individuals/apply-who.asp. Note that people who had coverage under IFHP prior to November 5, 2014 are automatically issued coverage under the new eligible group and/or coverage type to which they were entitled. They do NOT need to apply for a new certificate.
Basic overview of IFH coverage (PDF)
The following resources provide detailed information.
(Note: the following documents have been developed by Canadian Clinicians for Refugee Care, a coalition of clinicians, researchers and community health workers, for the information of health care providers. Although all information has been carefully checked by experts in refugee law and health policy, they cannot guarantee accuracy or completeness.)
St Michael's Hospital provides some Resources for health providers
CIC procedures: urgent IFHP request (word document)
The Medavie Blue Cross IFHP Public Website contains information on:
The Medavie Blue Cross IFHP provider site contains information about the reformed program, including:
CIC has an IFHP webpage outlining the policy.
Appendix A – The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) Policy
This policy comes into effect on November 05, 2014. The authorities will make amendments to this policy as and when required. The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides limited, temporary, taxpayer-funded coverage of healthcare benefits to people in the following groups. These individuals are typically not eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance.
The Statement of the Scope of this Document
This document specifies the policies of the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). This document is meant for:
In addition, the authorities will make amendments to this policy from time to time.
The Purpose and Scope of the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)
The primary purpose of this program is to provide limited, temporary coverage of healthcare costs for specific groups of people. In particular, the authorities provide this coverage to:
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) typically offers six types of coverage. These comprise:
Discretionary authority exists for paying certain costs related to healthcare in exceptional and compelling circumstances. In addition, the program helps in protecting public health and public safety. Moreover, it provides coverage that is not more generous than the coverage that Canadians typically receive via numerous government-funded benefit programs.
It is worth highlighting that the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) does not intend to cover all migrants who do not possess the cover that provincial or territorial health insurance plans or programs typically offer. Instead, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) intends to provide coverage on an interim basis.
The Specific Program Terms
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) does not cover people who are or were eligible for cover under any provincial or territorial health insurance plan. The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) does not cover the cost of healthcare services and products. This is especially so in case individuals can make a claim under a private insurance plan for those products and services without regard to the amount that the plan would typically cover for those products and services. It is worth highlighting that the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) does not cover Canadian citizens.
Definitions
The Coverage and Benefits
The Eligibility
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) covers certain health-care benefits for specific groups of people until they become eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance, such as: protected people, including resettled refugees, refugee claimants, and. certain other groups.
