Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)

What does OHIP mean?

It is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, commonly known in both English & French (Assurance-Santé de l’Ontario) by the acronym OHIP.  It is the government-run health insurance plan for the Canadian province of Ontario.

Is OHIP free?

Every Ontario resident with his or her primary and permanent home in Ontario is entitled to access emergency and preventive care under OHIP free of charge.

How do I apply for an OHIP health card

Children who are Under 16 years old, do not need a photo or signature on their card so a parent/guardian can register for them. If you need another record of your child’s health card information (e.g.when parents/guardians do not live in the same home), please ask for a transaction record in person at a ServiceOntario Centre. If you are older than 16 years, you need a photo and signature on your card, so you must apply in person at a ServiceOntario Centre.

OHIP Coverage Waiting Period

If you have questions about when your OHIP coverage will begin, visit your local ServiceOntario centre or contact -  ServiceOntario INFOline at: 1-866-532-3161.

Who is not covered

Tourists, transients, refugee claimants, foreign (international students), visitors and some foreign workers from other Canadian provinces and territories, or from outside Canada, do not qualify for OHIP. 

What is covered under OHIP?

There are numerous services covered by OHIP LHIN Home and Community Care:  http://healthcareathome.ca Health Care Options:  https://www.ontario.ca/locations/health/?_ga=2.23826106.1269238392.1520029574-1468585569.1517172923 Physiotherapy:  https://www.ontario.ca/page/physiotherapy-clinics-ohip-funded;  https://www.collegept.org/patients/Accessing-Government-Funded-Physiotherapy Other services include (but are not limited to):

To be covered by OHIP, you must have a medical reason to receive a service or treatment. Cosmetic surgery, for example, is not covered. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/ohipfaq_mn.aspx https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card#section-2

What is covered under the Ontario Drug Benefit Program?

https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-coverage-prescription-drugs  

OHIP+ Prescription medicines for people under 25  

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/drugs/ohipplus/

What OHIP does not cover?

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/drugs/ https://www.ontario.ca/page/learn-about-ohip-plus?_ga=2.158425722.1145079512.1519662217-1537174491.1512060736

Travelling outside Ontario

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/travel_another_province_territory.aspx

Longer absences from Ontario

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/longer_absences.aspx

Travelling outside Canada

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ohip-coverage-while-outside-canada  

For more information on OHIP covered services:  OHIP Health Infoline:  Tel: 1-888-376-5197 or 1-416-314-2603; https://www.ontario.ca/page/what-ohip-covers