Question Period Note: Non-Insured Health Benefits program for First Nations and Inuit

N.A.

• The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program provides clients (registered First Nations and recognized Inuit) with coverage for a specified range of health benefits.
• The program covers prescription and over-the-counter medications, dental and vision care, medical supplies and equipment, mental health counselling, and transportation to access health services not available locally, where these services are not otherwise covered by other plans or programs for which the client is eligible.

Program Eligibility

To be eligible for NIHB Program benefits, an individual must be a resident of Canada, and registered or eligible to be registered under a provincial/territorial health insurance plan and have the following status:
• a First Nations person who is registered under the Indian Act (living on or off-reserve);
• an Inuk recognized by an Inuit Land Claim organization (i.e. Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation or Makivik Corporation);
• or a child, less than 2 years old, whose parent is an eligible NIHB Program client

NIHB Program Benefits

Pharmacy and Medical Supplies and Equipment
• The NIHB Program covers a range of prescription drugs and select over-the-counter products listed on the NIHB Drug Benefit List.
• A specified range of medical supplies and equipment (MS&E) items are also covered by the Program.

Dental
• Dental services must be provided by a licensed dental professional, such as a dentist, dental specialist, independent dental hygienist or denturist.
• Services include diagnostic (i.e. exams and x-rays), preventive (i.e. cleanings), restorative (i.e. fillings), endodontic (i.e. root canals), periodontal (i.e. deep scaling), removable prosthodontic (i.e. dentures), oral surgery (i.e. extractions), orthodontic (i.e. braces) and adjunctive services (i.e. sedation).

Medical Transportation
• NIHB Medical Transportation benefits coverage is provided to assist eligible clients to access medically necessary health services that cannot be obtained in their community of residence.
• Benefits include:
o Ground Travel (private vehicle; commercial taxi; fee-for-service driver and vehicle; band vehicle; bus; train; snowmobile taxi; and ground ambulance);
o Air Travel (scheduled flights; chartered flights; helicopter; and air ambulance);
o Water Travel (motorized boat; boat taxi; and ferry);
o Living Expenses (meals and accommodations); and
o Transportation costs for health professionals to travel into communities to provide services, where this is a more cost effective approach.
Vision Care
• NIHB funds a range of vision care benefits including:
o General eye examinations, when they are not insured by the province/territory;
o Corrective eyewear such as glasses or contact lenses, when prescribed by a licensed vision care professional;
o Corrective eyewear repairs and replacement ; and
o Other vision care benefits such as single eye tests depending on the specific medical needs of the client.

Mental Health Counselling
• The mental health counselling benefit is intended to provide coverage for professional mental health counselling to complement other mental wellness services that may be available‎.
• Clients receive coverage for 22 hours of counselling per year, with additional coverage available in exceptional situations.

If pressed on Non-Insured Health Benefits

• The NIHB Program does not directly deliver health services to its clients, rather benefits are delivered through service arrangements with private practice health care professionals/providers, and contribution agreement recipients such as First Nation and Inuit partners.

• During 2024-2025, the NIHB Program provided access to benefits coverage for 983,461 eligible clients. Total Program benefit expenditures in this period were $2,330.7 million; a 11.1% increase over 2023-2024.

• The NIHB Program provides coverage to eligible clients of all ages, in Canada unless otherwise covered under a separate agreement (such as a self-government agreement).