Non-Insured Health Benefits
Provinces and territories are responsible for delivering health care services, guided by the provisions
of the Canada Health Act. Health care services include insured hospital care and primary health care,
such as physicians and other health professional services. First Nations people and Inuit access
these insured services through provincial and territorial governments, like any other resident.
There are a number of health-related goods and services, however, that are not insured by provinces
and territories or other private insurance plans. To support First Nations people and Inuit in reaching
an overall health status that is comparable with other Canadians, Health Canada's Non-Insured
Health Benefits (NIHB) Program provides coverage for a limited range of these goods and
services when they are not insured elsewhere.
The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program is Health Canada's national, needs-based health benefit
program that funds benefit claims for a specified range of drugs, dental care, vision care, medical
supplies and equipment, short-term crisis intervention mental health counselling, and medical transportation
for eligible First Nations people and Inuit.
What Information is Available
This section contains information on the various types of non-insured health benefits, who is eligible,
how to access them, options for making an appeal when a benefit is denied, as well as how we safeguard
clients' personal health information in our possession. There are also links to important resources
and contact information to help answer your questions about the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program.
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