What is Alberta Health Care Card?
People returning to Alberta after COVID-19 or Albertan citizens must register themselves under the Albertan Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). This plan will facilitate the Albertans with free insurance coverage for hospital visits and for taking up physician services.
The plan sanctions a health care card to every individual, and for availing of any of the services, you will need to flash the health card wherever required. The health card also comes with a photo identification facility. The card is a doorway to better healthcare availabilities whenever required.
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Steps for Alberta Health Care Card Application
There is no provision for the online application and one can either apply through postal mail or an in-person office visit.
- If you are sending it via in-mail, then you can download application form from here. Further, take a printout of it and after filling it up, attach all relevant documents to it. Once you have put everything in the envelope, send it to the below-mentioned address.
Put these words on top:
Attention: Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan
Send it across to;
Alberta Health
PO Box 1360, Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N3
- Canadian children of non-eligible parents can download the application form PDF from this link.
Collect supporting documents that include the following:
- Residency documents for Alberta include;
- Driver’s License procured in Alberta
- Utility and phone bills
- Home insurance, rental, and mortgage agreement
- Vehicle registration
2. Identity documents include;
- Passport or permanent resident card
- Indian status certificate issued by the Federal government
- Government-issued Driver’s License, registries ID card, and Canadian Citizenship Card.
3. Legal Entitlement Documents that can be used are;
- Canadian passport or residency card
- Canadian Birth Certificate and Entry Document
- Permanent Resident Card or online confirmation document
- Submit the documents in three ways to complete the application process.
a. In-person at the office
Carry the application form with the original documents to a registry office that participates. The application process takes 5 days.
b. Through mail
Alberta Health
PO Box 1360, Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N3
Processing time takes 6 weeks.
Requirements
Fulfilling various documented requirements for the Alberta Health Care Card application is as given below.
- Identity documents that are accepted include;
- Canadian passport if you have one
- Take a photocopy of both sides of the permanent resident card or first nations/Inuit card.
- You can also try the driver’s license, registry ID, or citizenship card of Canada.
2. For proving your Albertan residency, you can use the following documents.
- Driver’s License, mortgage papers, or vehicle registration
- Utility or phone bill of consecutive months.
3. Legal documentation for being in Canada
- Canadian passport, print both sides of the card for using a permanent resident card and first nation/Inuit card.
- The birth certificate was issued by the Canadian government.
- Take a print-out of both sides of the entry documents to Canada
- Two sides to the Canadian citizenship card or the certificate.
Eligibility
Eligibility details can be ascertained from the site mentioned here.
- Any person who is deemed to be a resident as per the regulatory authorities including temporary residents but excluding tourists or visitors.
- Those individuals who are not taking up government benefits in any other province or country.
- One must spend at least 183 of 365 days in Alberta.
- Either is a legal citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
How long does it take to get Alberta health care card?
Processing time through the in-mail process can take up to six weeks. Drop your applications in the office to help with the processing. It takes five days to process these applications. The health care cards are directly mailed from the AHCIP office.
Conclusion
The Alberta Health Care Card is a getaway to good medical health facilities, and if you have elderly and children at home, do consider taking the card. But, before that, do read this article for more insight into the process.
