Find out about your health care coverage

The basic Yukon physician and hospital insurance coverage may be less than what it costs to treat an illness or injury outside Canada.

What does the Yukon Health Care Plan cover?

Doctor and hospital fees at the rate charged in the Yukon.

What do you have to pay outside the Yukon?

Any costs above the doctor and hospital rates charged in the Yukon. These rates outside Canada may be higher than those in the Yukon. Some hospital charges in the United States can be higher than $1,000 per day. You'll have to pay the difference between the Yukon rate and the rate of the country you're in.

What if you show your Yukon Health Care Plan card?

Doctors outside Canada do not have to accept your health care card as proof they'll be paid. They may ask you to pay in advance for any medical fees.

How to protect yourself while you're travelling

• Check your existing medical coverage and its limitations.
• You may have supplementary benefits through a union or employer group plan.
• See your travel or insurance agent, to arrange for extra health care coverage if needed.
• Make sure you and your family are covered for illness and disability as well as accidents.
• Consider coverage for:
  • trip cancellation;
  • medical and hospital fees; and
  • ambulance and other medical travel.
• Make sure to carry your extra insurance policies with you.
• Make sure your personal information is up to date on your Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan card.

Temporary absence

If you'll be away from the Yukon for 6 months or more, you must fill out and submit a notification of extended absence form. This makes sure your health care coverage remains valid.

1. Complete the notification of extended absence form.
2. Submit the form.
   In person: 4th floor, Financial Plaza, 204 Lambert Street in Whitehorse. Our office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5 pm.
   Email: yukon.healthcare@yukon.ca
   Fax: 867-393-6486
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Insured Health Services (H-2)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Once you're back in the Yukon, complete the notification of return from extended absence form. You can send in the form by fax, mail or drop it off in person.

Longer absence

Your Yukon health care coverage will end if you leave the territory for longer than 12 months. Some reasons you might be out of the Yukon could be:

• attending university;
• doing a summer practicum; or
• volunteering.

Get a waiver to maintain your coverage

1. Contact Insured Health Services.
   In person: 4th floor, Financial Plaza, 204 Lambert Street in Whitehorse. Our office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5 pj.
   Phone: 867-667-5209
2. Explain your situation.
3. Ask for a waiver.

All territories and provinces except Quebec have signed an Interprovincial Billing Agreement. This gives you coverage for insured hospital and physician services. Physicians and hospitals in most parts of Canada will accept your health care card as proof they'll be paid.

Purchase extra coverage when travelling to other parts of Canada because in some areas doctors:

• will bill you directly for the medical services they provide to you; or
• chose to extra-bill patients, and they'll ask you to pay the difference between the approved provincial rate and the physician's rate.

Other medical travel costs could include:

• Hospital transfers
• Air ambulance charges
• Escort charges
• The cost of return transportation to Yukon

If you cannot present a valid Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan card:

• Out-of-Yukon hospitals and physicians may ask you to pay for services.
• They may bill you instead of the Government of Yukon.

When you're studying outside the Yukon, your health insurance covers your fees for visits to the:

• doctor; and
• hospital.

To qualify, you have to:

• be a full-time student at a university or other recognized post-secondary institution;
• submit a temporary absence form before you leave;
• submit the temporary absence for every year you attend post-secondary school outside the territory;
• return to the Yukon at least once during the school year or submit a letter explaining why you're not returning; and
• intend to return to the Yukon after you finish your studies.

Before you leave for school

Before you leave for school you should contact health services at your college or university to find out:

• if there are things you need to do before leaving the Yukon; and
• what health services are provided by the institution.

Contact Insured Health Services to fill in a temporary absence form to ensure you have health care coverage while you're at school.

In person: 4th floor, Financial Plaza, 204 Lambert Street in Whitehorse. Our office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 867-667-5209

Get health care insurance to cover health care costs that are not covered by Yukon health insurance. You can buy this through insurance agencies. Many universities and colleges also have health care plans.

Ensure all your vaccinations are up to date

In the Yukon, you can get vaccinated against diseases, such as:

• flu;
• measles;
• mumps;
• rubella;
• whooping cough;
• diphtheria;
• tetanus;
• hepatitis B;
• polio;
• chickenpox; and
• human papilloma virus (HPV).

Meningitis

Meningitis is a fast-spreading virus that can have serious health consequences. As a Yukon student, you can get a free meningococcal vaccine. This protects you against meningitis. Yukon health insurance does not cover the cost of the vaccine if you get it outside the territory.

How to get vaccinated

To get vaccinated, or find out about vaccines, phone the Whitehorse Health Centre at 867-667-8864 or phone your local community health centre.

The Yukon has health insurance agreements with the provinces and territories. After you move to the Yukon, your former province or territory's health insurance will cover you for up to 3 months. To qualify, you have to be:

• an eligible resident; and
• moving to the Yukon from another part of Canada.

You can apply for Yukon Health Care Insurance after living for 3 months in the territory.