Do you still have the old red and white OHIP card without the photo (and no expiry date)? If you are one of the 3.5 million Ontarians still carrying the old version of the OHIP card, you could risk loss of coverage if you have been ignoring notices from the government to update your card.
According to a Globe and Mail article published July 26, 2012, CTV health reporter Avis Favro was told she would have to pay $60 cash to see a physician in a Huntsville walk-in clinic because her old OHIP card had been cancelled.
The province has stated that people who are charged for health care because their cards have been cancelled may be eligible for reimbursement after their card has been renewed. However, those individuals will be required to pay out-of-pocket at the time of care.
If you have received three notices from the government advising you to get a new OHIP card, and you have not used your card in seven years, you may discover that your provincial health insurance has been suspended.
To read the July 26 Globe and Mail article, “Ontario urges residents to switch to new health cards,” go to www.globeandmail.com.