What is covered
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides limited and temporary health care coverage until you’re eligible for provincial or territorial insurance.
It also covers some medical services for resettled refugees and certain other groups before they arrive.
Your coverage depends on your eligibility group.
On this page
- Health care covered in Canada
- Health care covered outside of Canada
- What isn’t covered
- Contact Medavie Blue Cross
Health care covered in Canada
You can only get IFHP coverage for services and products from health care professionals who are registered with the IFHP.
For prescription medications and supplemental benefits, you’ll pay your provider for a portion of the treatment cost as a co-payment. The remaining cost is covered by the IFHP.
Basic coverage Free
Some examples of covered benefits include:
- in-patient and outpatient hospital services
- services from medical doctors, registered nurses and other health care professionals licensed in Canada, including pre and postnatal care
- laboratory, diagnostic and ambulance services
Check the benefits grids or contact Medavie Blue Cross for more information.
Prescription medication coverage $4 co-payment
You will pay your provider $4 for each eligible prescription you fill or refill.
Check the benefits grids or contact Medavie Blue Cross for more information.
Example of prescription co-payment
You visited a walk-in clinic and saw a nurse practitioner – this was fully covered by the IFHP. You got 4 different prescriptions and want to fill them in a single visit.
- You find a service provider in Canada registered under the IFHP using the IFHP Provider Search Tool and visit the pharmacy.
- You give your 4 prescriptions to the IFHP-registered provider.
- The provider verifies you’re eligible for IFHP.
- You ask the provider about any costs you need to pay before receiving care.
- You need to pay $16 for those medications, which represents $4 for each of the 4 prescriptions being filled.
- The IFHP pays the provider for the amount claimed for the medication.
Supplemental coverage 30% co-payment
The IFHP covers 70% of eligible costs for supplemental benefits. You pay 30% of the costs directly to your provider. Some examples of covered benefits include:
- Urgent dental care
- Vision care
- Mental health counselling
- Physiotherapy
- Speech language therapy
- Assistive devices like prosthetics, mobility aids and hearing aids
- Home care
- Medical supplies and equipment
Check the benefits grids or contact Medavie Blue Cross for more information.
Example of supplemental benefits co-payment
You broke a tooth and need urgent dental care.
- You find a service provider in Canada registered under the IFHP using the IFHP Provider Search Tool and book an appointment.
- The provider verifies you’re eligible for the IFHP.
- You ask the provider about any costs you need to pay before receiving care.
- The provider charges $200 for the service.
- You need to pay $60 to the provider, which is 30% of the total cost of the service.
- The IFHP pays the provider $140.
Immigration medical examination (IME)
For certain groups of clients in Canada, the IFHP also covers the cost of one immigration medical examination (if not previously covered under pre-departure medical services [PDMS]).
See all covered health services and products
Health care covered outside of Canada
Outside Canada, the IFHP covers some pre-departure medical services (PDMS):
- an immigration medical examination (IME), including follow-up treatment of health conditions that would make you inadmissible to Canada on public health grounds
- vaccinations
- medical support needed for safe travel
- certain health measures during a disease outbreak
What isn’t covered
The IFHP doesn’t:
- cover all health care services and products
- Some may be covered but only up to a maximum dollar amount.
- cover services or products you can claim under other health insurance (private or public)
- coordinate with other health insurance plans
Exceptions for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)
If you need urgent dental care and are eligible for the CDCP, you can coordinate benefits. The IFHP will act as the first payer.
Contact Medavie Blue Cross
If you aren’t sure what is covered or need support, you can contact Medavie Blue Cross, the company that administers the IFHP:
- Check the Medavie Blue Cross website.
- Telephone: 1-888-614-1880 (in Canada only)
- TTY: 1-800-855-0511 (Voice to TTY)
- 711 (TTY to Voice)
- 1-800-855-1155 (TTY to TTY)