The new P.E.I. health cards now include the person’s language of preference, home address and a validation start date for medicare coverage.
The back of the card also includes a red heart if the person has indicated their intent to be an organ and tissue donor.
“Like the rest of the country, Prince Edward Island’s population is becoming more diverse with respect to newcomers and languages spoken,” says Health P.E.I.’s Mark Kickham.
“Having the individual’s language preference clearly indicated on the front of the card makes it easier for health care staff to ensure they provide services and information in a manner that is better understood.”
Health cards are used to access a variety of publicly funded health services such as physician care, hospital services, medical tests, long-term care, home care, mental health and addiction services and provincial drug programs.
Community pharmacists also require the card to record medications in the P.E.I. Drug Information System.
Adding a validation start date to the cards will ensure that there is no delay in processing applications for new residents, who must live in the province for three months before they can receive medicare coverage. Previously, Medicare Services staff would hold new applications until eligibility began.
Applications for health cards can be processed as they are received and cards are mailed out in advance.
Including a person’s home address on the card helps medicare staff and health care providers to verify a user’s identity. It will also allow the new health card to be used as another form of government-issued identification to supplement the province’s identity card or driver licence.
The current orange P.E.I. health card was introduced in 1995. While its design was updated last year, the personal information contained on the card was not expanded until now.
The province expects the orange health card to be phased out over the next five years as the existing cards expire. Health P.E.I .and other government and non-government organizations will continue to accept the orange health card as long as it is valid.
For more information, visit www.healthpei.ca/healthcard.
