The way medical travel works has changed for some NWT residents as of September 1. If you live here and don’t have access to health benefits, here’s what to do.
The territorial government says coverage levels have stayed the same – but the way medical travel is administered just changed.
An initial notice came out in June.
Put simply, if you have an NWT healthcare card, aren’t Indigenous and don’t have access to health benefits through work, the GNWT wants you to sign up for Extended Health Benefits to be sure of medical travel coverage.
If you are part of the Non-Insured Health Benefits program or Métis Health Benefits program, you’re fine and you don’t need to worry about this. If you have coverage through your employer or private insurance, again, you don’t need Extended Health Benefits.
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If you’re already enrolled in EHB, you don’t need to take any action. If you’re Indigenous and for some reason not covered by other programs, you may need to sign up.
Tuesday is the day the change comes into effect.
“Starting September 1, 2026, NTHSSA-administered medical travel for residents who have a valid NWT health care card and no benefits or private insurance will be coordinated under Extended Health Benefits,” the territorial government states on its website.
“This is an administrative change only, and supports stay the same. If this applies to you, apply now.
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“This change does not affect Non-Insured Health Benefits or Métis Health Benefits, or people currently enrolled in Extended Health Benefits. Your health care provider referral process does not change.”
If you are affected by this and think you’ll be needing medical travel any time soon, it’s worth filling out the form sooner rather than later. It is eight pages long and requires a range of financial information from you and any partner of yours. You also have to provide details of any existing insurance coverage.
To register for EHB, the GNWT states you either need to have filed your income tax return for the previous year or else you must have an alternative way of proving what you earned.
The territory earlier called this change part of a “broader effort to modernize medical travel and make the system clearer, more consistent, and easier for both residents and health care providers to understand.”
