How to Get a Health Card in Yukon

A Yukon health care card proves you are covered by the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan, and the Government of Yukon says to present your card whenever you access health care services. This guide covers registration mechanics only: who qualifies, what to bring, where to register, the waiting period, and what happens if the answer is no. It gives no health advice and no advice about which services you should seek. All facts below come from the Government of Yukon page on applying for a Yukon health care card.

Step 1: Check that you qualify

To be eligible for the Yukon Health Insurance Plan you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or have immigration status
• have a valid open work permit for a minimum of 1 year, if applicable, including a Yukon-specific employer work permit
• make your permanent home in the Yukon
• be present in the Yukon and not absent for more than 6 months without completing an extended absence form and telling the government

If you are applying for your spouse or dependants who live in the Yukon, they must also meet these requirements.

If you are on a work visa, you can apply if you are on a Yukon-specific or open work visa valid for at least 1 year. You cannot apply if you are on a study or tourist visa. If you have refugee status, you may be eligible for coverage; phone 867-667-5209 or toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5209, or email insured.health@yukon.ca for more information.

Step 2: Gather your documents and proof of residency

To register, bring:

• a Canadian birth certificate
• a Canadian citizenship card or permanent resident status card
• an open or Yukon-specific work permit valid for a minimum of 1 year, if applicable
• a secondary piece of ID

You must provide these documents for each person you have listed in your application.

You must also prove your residency when you apply. You can use any of the following as proof:

• a utility bill in your name
• a pay stub from a Yukon employer
• an offer letter from a Yukon employer
• a signed tenancy agreement in your name for a minimum of one year

Step 3: Register in person

You must register in person with the Government of Yukon to receive Yukon Health Care Insurance. In Whitehorse, go to the 4th floor, 204 Lambert Street. In rural communities, application forms are available at all Territorial Agents.

You must be physically present in the Yukon. You do not have to be in the Yukon for 3 months before you apply.

Your card carries information about you to inform your care. English is the default language of care; if you choose French, your card will display "FR" to help with health service planning. If you are a registered organ donor, your card will show a heart symbol. If you are a senior eligible for extended health benefits and pharmacare, your card will show PHARMACARE ASSURANCE-MÉDICAMENTS on the bottom.

Step 4: Understand the 3-month waiting period

New and returning Yukon residents must wait 3 months for coverage to start. You should apply when you arrive in the Yukon, as delays can affect your eligibility date.

If you are a new resident from another jurisdiction, you are covered by your former health care insurance plan during the 3-month wait period. If you are a returning Yukon resident with active coverage from another jurisdiction, you are required to reapply for the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan. If you are on a work visa, your wait period may vary depending on the issue date or arrival date; phone 867-667-5209 or toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5209, for more information.

Step 5: If your application is denied, appeal in writing

If the government denies your application for Yukon Health Care Insurance, you can appeal the decision. You will need to submit a request of appeal written by you or your doctor. It should include a detailed account of your patient history and your current situation.

In response to your letter, the government can request a review by Yukon's medical advisor, can review and assess service options used nationally on the subject matter including requesting a review of medical evidence and reports through the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, and will provide a letter of finding to you or your doctor.

If the government findings do not support your application, you may appeal for reconsideration in writing to the director of Insured Health Services, as directed by Section 5 of the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan Act. Address letters to: Director, Insured Health and Hearing Services (H-2), Department of Health and Social Services, Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6.

What this guide could not verify

The Government of Yukon apply page states no application fee, no card delivery time, no card validity or renewal period, and no replacement process for a lost, stolen, or damaged card, so this guide states none of those figures. The page also states no list of covered medical services, so no covered-service list is claimed here. Confirm the fee position, if any, the expected card arrival time, and renewal and replacement steps with Insured Health Services at your visit.

Related guides:

• How to Get an OHIP Health Card in Ontario — Ontario's health card process, for comparison with Yukon's in-person registration and 3-month wait.
• How to Get a Manitoba Health Card in Manitoba — Manitoba's health card process, another province's version of the same registration.
• How to Get a Saskatchewan Health Card in Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan's health card process.
• How to Start Getting Provincial Health Coverage as a Newcomer to Canada — the province-by-province coverage picture for newcomers, including the territories.

Sources

• Government of Yukon, Apply for a Yukon health care card — eligibility and residency requirements, work, study, tourist, and refugee status rules, documents and proof of residency, in-person registration in Whitehorse and through Territorial Agents, the 3-month waiting period, returning residents, card details, and the appeal process.