Health Needs and Other Benefits

Health Needs

• Addictions treatment – help with some of the costs for treatment for an addiction (ex: travel, child care or shelter)
• Ambulance service – ambulance costs for an emergency
• Chiropractic (back and spine) treatment – help if you need more chiropractic appointments than are covered by Manitoba Health. Before EIA pays for extra costs, the Chiropractic Review Panel must look at your request and approve payment before you make an appointment with the chiropractor.
• Dental services - basic dental care costs such as exams, cleaning and extractions.  You are eligible for this benefit once you have received EIA for three months, unless you are an adult in the General Assistance category, in which case you must be on EIA for six months.  In an emergency, you can get some benefits before the three- or six-month waiting period is over.
• Eye (optical) services - eye exam costs every two years; new glasses every three years; new lenses if your eyesight changes a lot. You are eligible for this benefit once they have received EIA for three months, except for adults in the General Assistance category, who must be on EIA for six months before they are eligible for optical services.  In an emergency, some benefits may be available before the three- or six-month waiting period is over.
• Foot care (podiatry) services – podiatry or chiropody and approved foot care equipment and services
• Hearing aids – cost of hearing aids and repairs
• Medical equipment and supplies – costs for basic and essential medical equipment and supplies that are not covered under Home Care or any other health plan
• Mobility equipment (devices) and repairs – cost of approved items that are not covered by the Manitoba Wheelchair Program
• Prescription drugs – approved prescription medication costs. You will receive the same coverage as provided by Pharmacare, but you will not pay a deductible.
• Phones for health or safety – the cost of a phone, if recommended by a doctor for health or safety reasons
• Prescription food supplements – the cost of nutritional supplements if prescribed by a doctor
• Prosthetic and orthotic devices – cost of approved items that are not covered by Manitoba Health
• Special diet allowance – the cost of therapeutic (special) diets if needed because of a medical problem
• Transportation for medical appointments – the cost of getting to and from medical appointments
• Winter boots – up to $100 every three years for winter boots if needed because of a medical problem

Other Benefits

• Additional costs for newborn children – helps with the extra costs of a newborn baby (ex: crib, layette). Assistance may be up to $250 for the first-born child and up to $75 for each child after the first-born.
• Appliance repairs – help with the cost of repairs to a washing machine, refrigerator or stove
• Beds and bedding – help with the costs of beds and bedding (a mattress, box spring and frame for each person in the home every seven years; new bedding every three years)
• Child care for employment, education and special needs – help with child care costs when you work, are in school or training
• Funeral service – help for the cost of a funeral or service
• Funeral transportation – help with the cost of travelling to and from the funeral of an immediate family member
• Home repairs – help with the cost of needed home repairs if you own your home
• Laundry costs - help with the cost of using coin-operated laundry machines if you have no other way of doing your laundry and you are enrolled in the persons with disabilities category
• Moving costs – help with moving costs in special cases (ex: home is unsafe; a change in family size; finding lower rent; moving closer to a job or training)
• Northern energy costs – helps cover the higher cost of electricity, fuel, etc. in northern and remote communities
• Replacing identification (for reasons approved by EIA) – if identification is lost, stolen, or destroyed, EIA may cover the cost of getting new identification cards (for health, social services, funding, getting or keeping a job)
• Restaurant meals – helps cover the cost of meals if you can’t store or cook food in your home (ex: you live in a unit without a fridge or hot plate)
• School supplies for dependent children – covers some of the cost of school supplies for dependent children (under 18) who go to school full-time. The amount of assistance depends on the age of the child; $60/year for 5 – 11 year olds, $80/year for 12-13 year olds and $100/year for 14 – 17 year olds.
• Security deposits – covers some of the cost for damage or security deposits for your home
• Start-up allowance – if furnishings are not included in the rent, a one-time payment of up to $500 can help with the cost of basic furnishings - available only if:
  • your furnishings were accidentally ruined (ex: fire, flood)
  • you have a disability and are moving from an institution or from your parents’ home
    (ex: basic or special furniture for your room)
  • you are a separated single parent and cannot get any of the furnishings from your other home
  • you are a new single parent, moving out of your parents’ home into your own
    (ex: basic furnishings to get started)
• Transportation to get children to child care – may cover the cost of transportation for your children to get to and from child care when you work or are in school or for other reasons approved by EIA
• Wheelchair transportation for social activities – helps with the costs of transportation for social activities
  (ex: shopping, religious services, community events, visiting) if you use a wheelchair