New to Calgary: How to Set Up Your Health Care

Moving to a new city is already a lot of work. Moving to a new province or country also means learning a healthcare system with unfamiliar names, rules and points of access.

There is no single office that sets everything up for you. Your health coverage, family doctor, pharmacy, medical records and online health account are all handled separately. This guide brings the main steps together so you know where to start.

1. Apply for your Alberta health card

Alberta's public health insurance is called the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, usually shortened to AHCIP.

Eligible residents must register for AHCIP to receive publicly insured physician and hospital services. Once registered, you will receive an Alberta personal health card. You can use either the paper card or the mobile version available through your MyHealth Alberta Account.¹

You can apply for AHCIP at an Alberta registry office. There is no charge to apply.

You will generally need documents showing:

• Your identity
• Your Alberta address
• Your legal entitlement to be in Canada

Depending on your circumstances, this may include a passport, permanent resident card, work or study permit, rental agreement, utility bill, Alberta driver's licence or another accepted document. Bring the original documents, not only photographs or photocopies.²

The registry submits your application, but Alberta Health makes the final decision about eligibility. Your card is mailed to the address on your application, so make sure the registry has the correct mailing address.²

Apply as soon as you can. In most cases, people moving to Alberta should apply within three months of establishing residency.³

2. Do not assume everyone has the same waiting period

The timing of your coverage depends on where you moved from and your legal status in Canada.

If you moved from another Canadian province or territory

Your Alberta coverage generally begins on the first day of the third month after you establish residency.

For example, if you moved to Alberta on July 12, your AHCIP coverage would usually begin on October 1. During that waiting period, you can generally continue using the health card from your previous province or territory. Contact your previous provincial health plan if you are unsure what it will cover while you are living in Alberta.³

If you moved from outside Canada

You may be eligible for AHCIP from the date you established residency in Alberta, provided that you apply within three months and meet the eligibility requirements.

Your eligibility will depend on your immigration documents and circumstances. Permanent residents, some temporary foreign workers, some international students and people with other qualifying documents may be eligible.³

Do not rely on a friend's experience, even if they arrived recently. Small differences in immigration status, permit length, employment or family circumstances can change the answer.

If you have a work or study permit

Temporary residents may qualify for AHCIP, but the permit and intended length of residence matter.

For example, a temporary foreign worker generally needs to establish residency in Alberta, intend to remain for at least 12 months and have a qualifying work permit that does not expire in less than six months. Coverage for temporary residents usually ends when the immigration document used for the application expires.⁴

If your permit is approaching expiry, apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for an extension early. You should also take any renewed or extended document to a registry so your AHCIP information can be updated.⁴

If you are a refugee or refugee claimant

Some refugees, protected persons and refugee claimants may have temporary coverage through the federal Interim Federal Health Program, or IFHP. Depending on your status, this may provide coverage while you wait for provincial coverage or during another period of eligibility.⁵

Not every clinic is registered to bill IFHP. Ask before booking and bring the document that confirms your IFHP eligibility.

3. What if you need care before your coverage is active?

Do not delay emergency care because you do not have a health card.

You will not be refused emergency treatment, although you may receive a bill if you do not have active provincial, federal or private insurance. If it is later confirmed that you were eligible for AHCIP on the date of service, you may be able to seek reimbursement.¹³

Before you arrive in Alberta, check whether you have coverage through:

• Your previous province or territory
• The Interim Federal Health Program
• An employer plan
• A school or university plan
• Private newcomer or travel insurance
• Another federal or provincial program

Ask for the exact effective date. Do not assume an employer plan begins on your first day of work.

If you are uninsured, call a clinic before your visit and ask about the cost. Keep receipts and copies of any medical documents in case you later qualify for reimbursement.

4. Understand what your Alberta health card covers

AHCIP covers medically necessary physician and hospital services for eligible Alberta residents.⁶

At a family medicine clinic, this commonly includes appointments for:

• New illnesses and injuries
• Chronic medical conditions
• Mental health concerns
• Preventive care and screening
• Prenatal and postpartum medical care
• Well-child care
• Medication review
• Referrals
• Medically necessary office procedures

Your Alberta health card does not cover every healthcare expense.

It generally does not pay for most prescription medications outside hospital, routine dental care, routine eye care, travel vaccines or administrative services such as work notes, driver's medical examinations and many insurance forms.⁶

You may have additional coverage through an employer, school, private insurer or government benefit program. Ask what is covered before paying for an unfamiliar service.

5. Find a family doctor or nurse practitioner

Once your immediate coverage is sorted out, begin looking for an ongoing primary care provider.

The provincial Alberta Find a Provider website lets you search for family doctors and nurse practitioners who report that they are accepting patients. You can search by location and filter by language and provider gender.⁷

Availability changes frequently, so check more than once. Once you find a possible clinic, call it directly to confirm that the provider is still accepting patients.

Ask:

• Is the provider accepting patients for ongoing care?
• Are they accepting children and other family members?
• Is there a registration form?
• Is there a meet-and-greet or intake appointment?
• Does the clinic offer same-day appointments?
• What languages are spoken?
• What happens when the regular provider is away?

It is reasonable to contact more than one clinic or join several new-patient lists while you are looking.

If you are having trouble, Alberta Find a Provider also has a service that allows you to request help finding a clinic.⁷

6. What does a family clinic actually do?

A family clinic is meant to be the first point of contact for most non-emergency health concerns.

A family physician or nurse practitioner can:

• Assess new symptoms
• Diagnose and treat common illnesses
• Manage long-term conditions
• Review medications
• Provide preventive care
• Arrange screening
• Care for children and adults
• Address many mental health concerns
• Provide reproductive and sexual healthcare
• Refer you to specialists
• Follow up after emergency visits or hospitalizations
• Coordinate information from different parts of the healthcare system

Specialists in Alberta usually require a referral. Your family physician assesses the concern first, orders appropriate initial testing and sends the referral when specialist care is needed.

A family physician does not provide every possible service personally. Some procedures or areas of care may be referred to another physician, clinic or healthcare professional.

The benefit of family medicine is that someone gets to know your history and helps connect the different parts of your care over time.

7. Know where to go when you need care

Canada's healthcare system does not always make it obvious which service to use.

Family clinic

Start with your family clinic for most ongoing or non-emergency concerns, including chronic conditions, medication management, preventive care and new symptoms that can safely wait for a clinic appointment.

Walk-in clinic

A walk-in clinic can help with many new illnesses, minor injuries and other concerns when you cannot see your regular provider.

Whenever possible, use the same clinic more than once. This creates at least some continuity and makes it easier for the clinic to review previous visits.

Pharmacy

Pharmacists can answer questions about medications, check for drug interactions and provide some vaccinations and other services. Alberta pharmacists may also assess and prescribe for certain conditions within their scope of practice.

Choose one main pharmacy when possible. Keeping your prescriptions in one place makes it easier to identify medication interactions and refill problems.

Health Link 811

Call 811 at any time if you are unsure what level of care you need. Health Link is available 24 hours a day and can connect you with a nurse for health advice.⁸

Tell the person answering the call which language you need. Interpretation can be arranged.

Urgent care

Urgent care centres treat problems that need prompt attention but may not require the full resources of an emergency department.

Emergency department

Go to an emergency department for serious or rapidly worsening symptoms.

Call 911 for a medical emergency, including severe breathing difficulty, signs of a stroke, major trauma, loss of consciousness or severe chest pain.

Do not drive yourself if doing so may be unsafe.

8. Set up a pharmacy and review your medications

Bring an adequate supply of your regular medications when moving, if legally permitted and medically appropriate.

Medication names can vary between countries. A familiar brand may have a different name in Canada, and some medications available elsewhere may not be approved or commonly used here.

Prepare a medication list showing:

• The medication's generic name
• The dose
• How often you take it
• Why you take it
• How much you have left
• Any medications that caused side effects or allergic reactions

Bring the original containers or clear photographs of the labels. If your records are not in English, a translated summary can be helpful.

Do not wait until your last few tablets to seek a refill. A new physician may need to review your records, examine you or order tests before continuing some medications. Controlled medications may require additional assessment and may not be automatically renewed at the first visit.

Prescription drugs obtained outside hospital are not generally covered by AHCIP. Ask your employer, school or insurer whether you have drug coverage.⁶

9. Bring your medical and immunization records

Your previous medical records will not automatically appear in Alberta.

Bring whatever reliable information you have, especially:

• A summary from your previous physician
• A current medication list
• Major diagnoses
• Previous surgeries and hospitalizations
• Specialist reports
• Recent laboratory and imaging results
• Pregnancy records
• Allergy information
• Immunization records
• Tuberculosis screening or treatment records
• Relevant family medical history

The most useful record is usually a clear summary, not hundreds of unsorted pages.

Keep the original documents. Give the clinic copies when possible.

Records from another country may use different abbreviations, units and medication names. A certified translation is helpful for important documents, particularly pathology, operative reports and complex specialist assessments.

Alberta allows people to submit qualifying immunization records from outside the province for review and addition to their provincial record. The record should clearly show the patient's name, date of birth, vaccine and date given.⁹

10. Create a MyHealth Alberta Account

Once you are registered, create a MyHealth Alberta Account.

Depending on what information is available, the account can provide access to:

• Laboratory results
• Dispensed medication history
• Immunization records
• A mobile health card
• Some diagnostic reports
• Information from facilities using Connect Care
• Health information and symptom tools

It does not replace your family physician's chart, and it will not contain every note or report. It is still useful when you are trying to organize your health information or confirm the name of a medication or recent result.¹⁰

Parents and guardians can also request access to certain information for their children through the available parent or guardian access process.¹⁰

11. Ask for a medical interpreter

You have the right to understand your healthcare and participate in decisions about it.

If English is not your preferred language, tell the clinic or facility when booking. Ask whether the physician speaks your language or whether professional interpretation is available.

AHS offers telephone interpretation in approximately 240 languages, video interpretation in more than 40 languages and some in-person interpretation. Availability varies, and advance booking may be needed.¹¹

Whenever possible, use a trained medical interpreter for important conversations. Family members may misunderstand medical terms, leave out sensitive information or feel uncomfortable discussing certain subjects. Children should not be expected to interpret medical conversations for adults.

At Anuvi, appointments are available in English, Spanish and Farsi with participating physicians. Language availability depends on the physician and appointment time.

12. Use settlement services

Settlement organizations can help with more than employment and language classes.

Depending on the organization and your eligibility, they may help you:

• Understand the AHCIP application
• Identify the documents you need
• Find nearby health services
• Access interpretation or translation
• Connect with prenatal, mental health or family supports
• Understand school and childhood immunization requirements
• Locate other newcomer services

The City of Calgary maintains information about local newcomer organizations, including agencies that assist with documents such as Alberta health cards. The federal government also has a tool for locating free newcomer services.¹²¹³

Settlement staff cannot decide AHCIP eligibility, but they can often help you understand the process and prepare the application correctly.

13. Tell your new clinic about important health needs early

Some care should not wait until you have completed every other settlement task.

Contact a healthcare provider early if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have a serious chronic condition
• Need insulin or another essential medication
• Are receiving cancer treatment
• Take anticoagulants
• Need dialysis
• Have recently had surgery
• Require regular mental health care
• Have a child with significant medical needs
• Need follow-up for an abnormal test
• Have a communicable disease concern
• Are running out of a medication that cannot safely be stopped

Bring as much documentation as you can. If your situation is urgent, explain that clearly when calling.

14. Prepare for your first family medicine appointment

A new-patient appointment is usually more useful when you arrive organized.

Bring:

• Your Alberta health card
• Government-issued photo identification
• Your medication list
• Your allergies
• Important records
• Your pharmacy's name and location
• The names of specialists involved in your care
• A short list of your main concerns

Start with the most important issue. A physician may not be able to safely review an entire medical history, refill every medication and address several unrelated problems in one visit.

It is common to need more than one appointment to fully establish care.

Ask the clinic how test results are communicated, how prescription renewals work and what you should do when your regular physician is unavailable.

A practical newcomer healthcare checklist

After arriving in Calgary:

• Confirm your eligibility for AHCIP.
• Apply at a registry with your original documents.
• Confirm what coverage you have while waiting.
• Find a pharmacy.
• Prepare a medication list.
• Gather your medical and immunization records.
• Search Alberta Find a Provider.
• Join more than one new-patient list if necessary.
• Create a MyHealth Alberta Account.
• Learn when to use a clinic, 811, urgent care, an emergency department or 911.
• Ask for interpretation when you need it.
• Keep your address, telephone number and family doctor information current.

The Main Point

You do not need to understand the entire Alberta healthcare system during your first week in Calgary.

Start with the basics. Apply for your Alberta health card, confirm what coverage you have in the meantime, organize your medications and records, and begin looking for an ongoing primary care provider.

Ask questions when something is unclear. The system has several entry points, but they do not always communicate with each other perfectly. Keeping your own basic health information and knowing where to seek care will make the process much easier.

References

1. 1.Government of Alberta. Apply for AHCIP coverage. Information about registration, approval, health cards and receiving care before a card is issued.
2. 2.Government of Alberta. How to apply for AHCIP. Application steps and accepted documentation for identity, Alberta residency and legal entitlement to remain in Canada.
3. 3.Government of Alberta. Apply for health care coverage if you move to Alberta. Coverage dates for people moving from another province and people arriving from outside Canada.
4. 4.Government of Alberta. Health care coverage for temporary residents. Eligibility, permit requirements, expiry dates and extensions.
5. 5.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Interim Federal Health Program. Temporary health coverage for eligible refugee claimants, protected persons, resettled refugees and certain other groups.
6. 6.Government of Alberta. Services covered by AHCIP. Information about medically necessary insured physician services and common coverage limits.
7. 7.Alberta Find a Provider. Find a primary care provider. Search for clinics, family physicians and nurse practitioners accepting patients.
8. 8.City of Calgary. Getting started in Calgary. Newcomer information, including Health Link 811 and other local services.
9. 9.MyHealth Alberta. Immunization record submission. Requirements for submitting immunizations received outside Alberta.
10. 10.MyHealth Alberta. MyHealth Alberta Account. Access to personal health information, including medications, immunizations, laboratory results and the mobile health card.
11. 11.Alberta Health Services. Interpretation and Translation Services. Telephone, video and in-person medical interpretation options.
12. 12.City of Calgary. Organizations to help you get settled in Calgary. Local settlement and newcomer resources.
13. 13.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Newcomer services. Information about finding free settlement services in the community.

This article provides general information and does not determine whether a particular person qualifies for AHCIP or another insurance program. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and current government rules. Call 911 in an emergency or Health Link at 811 when you need help deciding where to seek care.