Can I Go To The Hospital Without A Health Card in Alberta?
In Alberta, residents must present their Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) card, also known as a health card, to receive insured hospital care. But what happens when you don’t have your AHCIP card with you? Can you go to the hospital without a health card in Alberta? Keep reading to find out.
Can I Go To The Hospital Without The AHCIP Card?
Yes, you can go to the hospital even if you don’t have your AHCIP card. The healthcare providers at your hospital are obligated to provide essential care, regardless of if you have a AHCIP Card or not. That being said, not having your AHCIP card with you will affect your provincial coverage for the services you receive. You may need to pay out-of-pocket.
What to Do When You Get to The Hospital
Without an AHCIP health card, you should go to the hospital as you normally would. Upon entering the hospital, you will be asked to present a valid AHCIP card.
The hospital will not refuse care if you don’t have one, so be honest. The staff there should inform you in detail about the implications of not having the card and what that could mean for the care you receive. The quality of care will not be impacted by your lack of AHCIP card, but the cost of care will.
If you don’t have an AHCIP card at all, you will have to pay the costs of your care out-of-pocket. If you do have an AHCIP card but it’s not with you, don’t worry. The hospital may still be able to have your care covered by the provincial health plan. The hospital will contact you before or after leaving the hospital to follow up on your AHCIP health care coverage. Prioritize giving the hospital your AHCIP card information as soon as possible to ensure you don’t receive a bill for the services you received.
What AHCIP Won’t Cover
When using your AHCIP health card, it’s important to know what medical services AHCIP won’t cover. Generally, AHCIP will cover any costs incurred while you were at the hospital for a medical emergency. This is seen as essential medical care. AHCIP will typically cover any medical care that is defined as essential.
You may be wondering…what’s not essential?
AHCIP does not cover dental care. It also won’t cover prescription drugs (unless you are part of a specialized coverage program, like the Alberta Drug Benefit) or vision care which is not medically necessary (except for children and seniors).
Some procedures will not be covered if they are seen as elective. To receive provincial coverage, a physician will have to determine that the procedure is medically necessary.
To receive comprehensive dental, vision, and drug coverage, most Canadians turn to their employee benefits or private insurance providers. This type of coverage is important, as it covers preventative care which prevents larger, more costly health issues in the future.