Medicare (Canada) - Eligibility

Eligibility

Although in theory all Canadians should qualify for coverage, each province or territory operates its own health insurance program, and provinces and territories have enacted qualification rules which effectively exclude many Canadians from coverage. For example, to qualify for enrollment in Ontario, one must, among other requirements, "be physically present in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period; and be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after establishing residency in the province." While there are exceptions for students studying out of province, and for mobile workers, many Canadians who regularly travel from one province to another for other reasons, as well as those who often travel outside Canada, cannot qualify for enrollment in any province. Proof-of-residency provisions requiring presentation of documents such as utility bills and bank statements also operate to exclude migrants and the homeless from enrollment.