Inuit client eligibility for non-insured health benefits
To be eligible, you must be recognized by one of the four Inuit land claim organizations under their land claim agreement. To learn more about how to access your coverage under your land claim agreement, see the section that applies to you:
- Nunavut Land Claim Agreement (Nunavut)
- Inuvialuit Final Agreement (Northwest Territories)
- Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement (Nunatsiavut)
- James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement (Nunavik)
Nunavut and Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories)
You are covered under Indigenous Services Canada's Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program if you are a Canadian resident and recognized under:
If you are a beneficiary of one of these two agreements and are living IN Nunavut or the Northwest Territories:
- you will automatically be registered as a client of the Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program when you receive your territorial health care card.
- you can use your territorial health card as your client identification to access benefits
- if you travel out of the Territory for health services, you are encouraged to know your NIHB client identification number (N-number). Providers in the south may not know that your Territorial health card number can be used to process a claim. Refer to the section on how to get your N-number
- some services are coordinated by the Territorial governments. Please contact the Government of the Northwest Territories or the Government of Nunavut for more information on accessing these services in your region:
- medical transportation
- mental health counselling services
- eye exams
- in some communities, vision care or dental care services are delivered by visiting providers
If you are a beneficiary of one of these two agreements and live outside Nunavut or the Northwest Territories:
- you need an N-number to access your NIHB coverage
- see the section on how to obtain an N-number
- contact your NIHB regional office about accessing your benefits
If you are a beneficiary of one or the other Inuit land claim agreements and you live in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories, refer to the section on your land claim agreement to find out about your coverage.
Identification numbers for recognized Inuit clients of the Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program
One of the following identifiers is required for recognized Inuit clients in order to submit claims to NIHB.
For clients living in Northwest Territories or Nunavut:
- Government of Northwest Territories (NWT) health care plan number
- Government of Nunavut (NU) health care plan number
- NIHB N-number accompanied by photo identification
For clients living elsewhere in Canada:
- NIHB N-number accompanied by photo identification
Registration process for eligible Nunavut and Inuvialuit agreement clients
If you are a beneficiary of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement or the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, you will need to:
- register and be recognized by your land claim organization:
- Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), (if you are from Nunavut)
- Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), (if you are from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region)
- once registered, your land claim organization will send you an acknowledgement of recognition letter or NTI card
If you live in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories, once you are recognized as a land claim beneficiary, no further action is needed:
- your name and client number will be added to NIHB systems for claims processing
- you may use your territorial health card to identify yourself as an NIHB eligible client, because it is linked to your NIHB N-number
- however, if you plan to travel south to access health services, you are encouraged to contact us to know your NIHB N-number. See the section on how to obtain an N-number
If you do not live in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories, once you have your acknowledgement of recognition or NTI card, you need to contact the NIHB program so that you can be added to NIHB systems for claims processing and receive your N-number.
How to obtain your N-number from the Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program
Send to Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB a copy of:
- your land claim organization recognition letter or NTI card
- your birth certificate
- your current mailing address and phone number
By mail:
Non-Insured Health Benefits
Attention: NIHB SVS-HICPS
Postal Locator: 1909B
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
By fax: 1-613-954-5265
In person: bring copies of these documents to your NIHB regional office and they will submit these documents on your behalf.
A letter will be mailed to you with your N-number. This is your personal identification number as an eligible client of the NIHB program. Be sure to keep this letter, write down your N-number and keep it somewhere safe. You will need it to access your NIHB benefit coverage.
Show your N-number to service providers, such as a dentist, pharmacist, etc., who provide eligible benefits to you. They require this number in order to submit claims to NIHB for coverage. You will need photo identification that matches the name on your letter to verify your identity.
If you need to know your N-number for accessing eligible NIHB services in the south, please contact the NIHB regional office in your area or email the NIHB program.
Information for Inuit living in British Columbia
First Nations clients living in British Columbia are covered by the First Nations Health Authority and access their coverage differently. This does not affect Inuit.
NIHB-eligible Inuit living in British Columbia continue to be covered by the Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB Program. Contact NIHB at 1-800-232-7301. You need an N-number to identify yourself as an NIHB eligible client.
Nunatsiavut (Labrador)
The Government of Nunatsiavut's Department of Health and Social Development (DHSD) administers its own NIHB program to beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement as part of their self-government agreement, regardless of where they live in Canada, including in other Inuit regions. This coverage is not managed by Indigenous Services Canada.
To be eligible for benefits under the Nunatsiavut NIHB program, you must be a Canadian resident and be a beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement.
To register contact the Membership Office of the Nunatsiavut Government.
Information for beneficiaries of other Inuit land claim agreements who live in Labrador
If you are a beneficiary of another land claim agreement living in Labrador, refer to the section on your land claim agreement.
Nunavik (James Bay Northern Quebec)
If you are a beneficiary of the James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA), your coverage is based on whether or not you live in Nunavik:
- if you live in Nunavik, your coverage is provided by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services Insured/Non-Insured Health Benefits (INIHB) program. This coverage is not managed by Indigenous Services Canada.
- if you live outside the land claims area, including if you live in other parts of Inuit Nunangat, then your coverage is provided by Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program.
Contact Makivvik Corporation regarding enrollment and keeping your membership information up-to-date, including if you move into or out of the land claims area.
If you are a JBNQA beneficiary, but your main residence is located outside the Nunavik territory
You are not eligible for NIHB coverage administered by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services if your main residence is located outside of the Nunavik territory. If you live elsewhere in Canada, including in other Inuit regions, you may be eligible for Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program.
To determine your eligibility and to keep it up-to-date if you move:
- Contact your landholding corporation or Makivvik Corporation to modify your status and get your N-number which is required to access the NIHB program. Coverage is retroactive to the date your application was approved.
- It may take a few days to process any changes in status to your N-number.
- Contact the NIHB regional office for assistance
Information for beneficiaries of other Inuit land claim agreements who live in Nunavik
If you are living in Nunavik and are a beneficiary of the Nunavut or Inuvialuit agreements, you are covered by the Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB program:
- Refer to the section for Nunavut and Inuvialuit beneficiaries
- An N-number will be required to access the NIHB program
- Contact Indigenous Services Canada's NIHB Quebec regional office to find a recognized provider in your area
- As a resident of the Nunavik region, health services can be accessed at your local health centre or Local Community Services Centres (CLSC) (not available in English). If the health services cannot be accessed there, your appointments and medical transportation will be arranged as per the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services policy regarding users of transportation to all institutions in Region 17 (Nunavik).
If you are living in Nunavik and are a beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit agreement, refer to the section on Nunatsiavut (Labrador).