Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction 05/04 – Canadian Armed Forces Health Care Card

1. Identification

Date of Issue: 2004-04-23 

Date of Modification: 2024-12-01 

Application: This Instruction applies to officers and non-commissioned members (NCM) of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF Members). 

Approval Authority: Chief of Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Administrative Response Centre (ARC)

2. Abbreviations

3. Policy Direction

Context

3.1 The CF Health Care Card is intended to:

1. Provide easy access to care, military or civilian, as appropriate, when directed by a CF Clinic Manager/Health Care Coordinator or Dental Detachment Commander; or emergency, defined as life or limb; and
2. To improve the consistency of administration claims management and service that eligible individuals receive under the various civilian health care systems in Canada.

4. Operating Principles

Policy

4.1 CF Health Care Cards are issued by the authority of the CAF and carried out by the civilian service provider currently under contract for civilian health claims processing, i.e., Blue Cross® to:

1. Regular Force CAF members;
2. eligible members of:
   1. the Reserve Force;
   2. foreign military services serving in Canada; and
   3. eligible immediate family members.

Health Information Guide

4.2 In addition to the CF Health Care Card, CAF members will receive a Health Information Guide that outlines the health care benefits and services funded by the CAF. This guide also provides information about accessing health care.

Distributed by Canada Post

4.3 Both the CF Health Care Card and Health Information Guide are distributed to CAF members by their parent unit by the civilian service provider (Blue Cross) through Canada Post.

Note – Atlantic Blue Cross Care does not provide insurance to the CAF.

Use of the CF Health Care Card

4.4 When use of civilian sector health care is unavoidable, the CF Health Care Card will ease access to civilian health care and relieve CAF members of the need to pay 'up front' for various treatments, prescriptions and care. The following conditions apply to use of the CF Health Care Card:

1. it is for use in Canada only;
2. the Base Clinic remains the CAF member's primary source for obtaining health care; and
3. possession of a CF Health Care Card does not give members the option to seek Care wherever they choose nor does it entitle the bearer to other Blue Cross® services.

4.5 Exceptions include urgent or medical emergency situations when delay would make it neither practical nor safe to seek care from a CAF facility.

Obtaining CF Health Card

4.6 Regular Force members and eligible Reserve Force members who have not received a CF Health Care Card should contact the Blue Cross Clerk at the member’s Base Clinic.

Outside Canada

4.7 CAF members who are posted outside Canada:

1. will be issued a CF Health Care Card but they must follow guidelines covering access to health care in their respective duty areas; and
2. will use the CF Health care Card when they return to Canada either permanently, on leave, or while on temporary duty.

Personal Information

4.8 CAF members are responsible for the accuracy of personal information reflected on their CF Health Care Card. When errors are detected, they should contact their unit orderly room to correct personal information. The personal information on the CF Health Care Card reflects data currently available in the Human Resources Information System – DND Enterprise. If the card contains incorrect data, and then records applicable to that card must be updated. Errors on the card will not prevent its use.

Reporting to Unit Medical Officer or Home Base Clinic

4.9 CAF members who receive medical care while absent from their base or unit must report to their Base Clinic immediately on return. This includes care received through use of the CF Health Care Card.

5. Responsibilities

Responsibility Table

5.1 The following table identifies the responsibilities associated with this instruction:

6. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Associated DAOD

• QR&O Article 34.07, Entitlement to Medical Care
• QR&O Article 34.13 (2), Control of Medical Care
• QR&O 35.04, Entitlement to Dental Treatment

Other References

• CAFMPI 06/04 – Canadian Forces Health Information Line (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• Health Information Guide (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)