If you are an eligible Albertan, you must register for the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) in order to receive hospital and physician coverage. This is not a new requirement, but there are still plenty of Albertans out there who are confused about the process, and we are here to clear it up.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ALBERTA HEALTH CARE
Health insurance is what covers you in the event of a medical emergency as well as a vehicle accident. A few things you need to know about this registry include:
Eligibility – You must be committed to being physically present in Alberta for 183 days in a year and be entitled to remain or allowed to call Alberta your permanent residence. You will need to provide documentation proving such at the time you register. You cannot claim residency or other benefits from another province, country or territory and cannot be deemed a transient or tourist in the area.
Updating – You will need to update your personal registration any time you move, have a status or life change (such as a new child, marriage or divorce), or when you need to cancel your coverage.
Coverage – You will receive full medical coverage through the AHCIP. For complete coverage information, including what is not covered, you can refer to the Alberta Health website.
HOW DO YOU REGISTER?
There are a few ways to register, but the easiest is with Registrations Are Us. You can come in and register for coverage or update your existing coverage in our office free of charge. To save time, we recommend:
Printing and completing the forms necessary before your appointment
Bringing all support documentation required
The effective date of your coverage is determined on when you move to the Alberta area or your date of arrival. You can opt out of the registry as well, but you must have a secondary insurer and that insurer must be willing to pay all medical and hospital costs incurred during that period. To complete the Alberta registry process or to learn more about how to register for coverage, contact your registry in Edmonton at Registrations Are Us. We can tell you which forms and what documentation is required based on your situation. Call us at 780-448-2233 to schedule your appointment or contact us online with your health care registry questions.