Vacation or extended travel

Within Canada – If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba but will remain within Canada for an extended period (90 days or more in a 12-month period) for the purposes of vacation or travel, you may continue to be eligible for Manitoba Health coverage for a period of up to six months by providing the following to Manitoba Health prior to your departure:

You can report your temporary absence from Manitoba within Canada using our online form. Alternatively you can report your temporary absence from Manitoba with a completed copy of the Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF) OR a letter providing your full name, permanent Manitoba address and temporary new address, the date of departure and expected date of return to Manitoba, your Manitoba Health Registration number (6 digits) and Personal Health Identification Number (PHIN, 9 digits), and the names of any family members accompanying you scanned and emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

If you are enrolled in the Pharmacare program, you will continue to be covered by Pharmacare benefits while you are away. For questions or inquiries, please contact Pharmacare at 204-786-7141.

Outside Canada – If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba for an extended period (90 days or more in a 12 month period) for the purposes of vacation or travel, you may remain eligible for Manitoba Health coverage for a period of up to seven months by providing the following to Manitoba Health prior to your departure:

You can report your temporary absence from outside of Canada using our online form. Alternatively you can report your temporary absence from Manitoba with a completed copy of the Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF) OR a letter providing your full name, permanent Manitoba address and temporary new address, the date of departure and expected date of return to Manitoba, your Manitoba Health Registration number (6 digits) and Personal Health Identification Number (PHIN, 9 digits), and the names of any family members accompanying you scanned and emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

If you are enrolled in the Pharmacare program, you will need to indicate “Yes” to the question: “Do you wish to apply for up to an additional 100 day supply of medications for out-of-country travel” in order to obtain a Medication Letter and continue to receive Pharmacare benefits while outside of Canada. For questions or inquiries, please contact Pharmacare at 204-786-7141.

Manitoba Health recommends that you explore private insurance options along with your Manitoba Health coverage to ensure that you have sufficient coverage for all of your health care needs while out of the country. More information on out-of-province and out-of-country coverage can be found here.

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Studying outside of Manitoba

If you are a Manitoba resident leaving the province to attend school on a full-time basis, the following must be provided to Manitoba Health prior to your departure in order to maintain coverage:

A completed Request For Out-Of-Province Student Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You will also need to provide ONE the following documentation to confirm your full time enrolment in classes:

• A letter from an accredited educational institution confirming your full-time attendance and duration of studies.
• Completion of the bottom section of the second page of the Request For Out-Of-Province Student Benefits Form by the Registrar’s office of the school you are attending with their signature or school stamp.
• Proof of tuition payment such as a statement of student loan where the academic year is indicated or a document from the educational institution showing the academic year and a statement indicating “Payment in full”.

You must complete these steps to provide confirmation of your full time enrolment for every academic semester or year.

Once Manitoba Health receives the required documents, a Term Registration Certificate confirming your coverage eligibility during your absence will be sent to you.

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Temporary Employment

If you are required to reside outside of Manitoba for employment purposes for 90 days or more in a 12-month period with plans to return, please report your departure to Manitoba Health to ensure that you continue to have uninterrupted coverage.

Within Canada - If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba but within Canada for an extended period for the purpose of employment, you may continue to be eligible for coverage for a period up to twelve months by providing the following prior to your departure:

A completed Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You must also provide a contract detailing the length of your work term signed by both parties.

Outside Canada - If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba for an extended period for the purpose of employment, you may continue to be eligible for coverage for a period up to twenty-four months by providing the following prior to your departure:

A completed Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You must also provide a contract detailing the length of your work term signed by both parties.

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Sabbatical or Research Study

If you will be residing outside of Manitoba for a sabbatical or research study, please report your departure to Manitoba Health to ensure that you continue to have uninterrupted coverage.

Within Canada - If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba for an extended period for the purpose of a Sabbatical or Research Study, you may be eligible to continue to be eligible for coverage for a period up to twelve months by providing the following prior to your departure:

A completed Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You must also provide a letter with travel dates from the university’s Human Resources department approving the Research Study or Sabbatical Leave.

Sabbatical or Research Study outside Canada - If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba for an extended period for the purpose of a Sabbatical or Research Study, you may continue to be eligible for coverage for a period up to twenty-four months by providing the following prior to your departure:

A completed Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You must also provide a letter with travel dates from the university’s Human Resources department approving the Research Study or Sabbatical Leave.

Once Manitoba Health receives the above-mentioned documents, a Term Registration Certificate confirming the coverage eligibility during your absence will be sent to you.

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Missionary or Humanitarian Aid

If you are planning to reside outside of Manitoba for Missionary or Humanitarian Aid purposes, please report your departure to Manitoba Health to ensure that you continue to have uninterrupted coverage.

You can notify Manitoba Health by providing the following prior to your departure:

A completed Request for Temporary Out-of-province Benefits Form (PDF), emailed to insuredben@gov.mb.ca, or mailed to our office.

You must also provide a contract or letter detailing the length of your missionary or humanitarian work outside Manitoba. The contract or letter should include the dates of your appointment and confirm that the organization providing the contract is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency and has a Registered Tax Charity Number.

Once Manitoba Health receives the required documents, a Term Registration Certificate confirming your eligibility during your absence will be sent to you.

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