Health care for reservists
Health care is available for all members of the Reserve Force. Specific entitlements are dependent on your type of employment. The information below is a guide, you should always check with your Orderly Room or CAF health services staff to confirm your entitlements.
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Report your injury or illness
Regardless of how you became injured or ill it is very important that you report your injury or illness as soon as possible as it may affect the services and benefits available to you and your family.
To report and document an injury, a disease, or an exposure or suspected exposure to toxic substances, use the Form CF-98 Report of Injury, Disease or Illness. This form can be found in the DND forms catalogue, available only on the National Defence network. Once completed, the form should be submitted to your Chain of Command for further processing.
Health care available to all reservists
There are Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) medical and dental centers on every base and wing that you can visit. If you arrive at a medical center during regular hours, you will be evaluated to ensure your immediate health care needs are met, regardless of your service type.
Services CFHS provides:
- Primary care provided by multidisciplinary teams in clinics
- Mental health programs addressing general mental health and psychosocial factors
- Operational trauma and stress support centres
Other services to help you recover
If you suffered an injury, disease or illness, you may be entitled to benefits, programs, or non-medical social services intended to help you recover from your health issue.
The Military Benefits Browser allows you to view the benefits potentially available to you. You can also consult the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) website for more information about other possible benefits and services.
Your injury or illness was caused by performance of military duties
The health care available to you depends on your Class and length of service. Remember to report your injury or illness as soon as possible.
Class A or Class B type of Reserve Service (180 days or less)
As a reservist completing a short-term period of service, you are entitled to the following health care:
- Evaluation and care for immediate health needs by the Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) personnel, until you can be transferred safely to a civilian health care provider.
- Continued coverage of Spectrum of Care benefits related to your injury or illness that exceed provincial or territorial health care coverage.
For any other health care needs not caused by your service or a chronic medical condition, you must consult civilian doctor.
If you have any questions, you can consult CAF health authorities through your chain of command.
Class B type of Reserve Service (181 days or more)
CFHS will provide the same health care benefits provided to Regular Force members if you are serving:
- on a Class B type of Reserve service of 181 consecutive days or more, or;
- on two consecutive short-term periods of Reserve service which total 181 consecutive days or more, without a break in service.
Class C type of Reserve Service
CFHS will provide you with the same health care benefits as Regular Force members.
Compensation entitlement for travel to and from a medical appointment
As a reservist, you may be eligible to receive compensation for approved travel related to health care. If you need to travel for treatment of an injury or illness caused by your military duties, you may be eligible for reimbursement regardless of your Reserve service type. Consult the Canadian Forces Temporary Duty Travel Instructions for details. If needed, ask your Orderly Room administrative staff for a copy of the health-related travel directives and policies.
Each Base and Wing has its own process for health-related travel. Some bases provide transportation. Usually, after you get a referral from the CAF medical center, the referral clerk or your Orderly Room staff will confirm the approved travel method and eligible expenses. Always get travel approval before going to your appointment.
Pay entitlement while attending a medical appointment
If you are a reservist attending a medical appointment as part of treatment recommended by the Medical Authority and approved by your chain of command, you are considered on duty and entitled to pay while receiving care for a duty-related injury or illness.
Your injury or illness was not caused by performance of military duty
The health care available to you depends on your Class and length of service. Remember to report your injury or illness as soon as possible.
Class A or Class B type of Reserve Service (180 days or less)
Class A or Class B reservists who become ill or injured while on duty can report to a primary care or mental health clinic during business hours to obtain CAF Health Services.
Health care provided by the CAF will be limited to your immediate medical needs. This means that the CAF will provide care only until you can be transferred safely to your civilian health care provider. For any other medical needs unrelated to your Reserve service, you must consult your civilian health care provider.
For reservists with 181 days or more of service, the CFHS will provide you with health care benefits that are similar to those of a Regular Force member. 181 days of service can include service that was split into two consecutive, short-term periods, as long as there was no break in service.
There may be limits to your entitlements. If you have any questions, you can consult CAF health authorities through your chain of command.
Guiding policy
The Surgeon General's Directive, Canadian Forces Health Services Instruction 4090-02, Interim Guidance for the Delivery of Health Care to Reserve Force Personnel gives the current policy for health care for reservists. You can also get a copy of these rules at your unit Orderly Room. Queen’s Regulations and Orders, Chapter 34, Medical Services, the founding document from which entitlement to care in the CAF is derived, is currently under review.