Manitobans can apply for their new plastic Health Cards as of January 15^th, 2025, and the digital Health Card will be available later in 2025.

One way to assist in the transition to the new plastic Manitoba Health Card is to ensure all the information on your current card is correct, such as your address. If you need to make any changes to your Health Card, please visit: Update or Replace Your Manitoba Health Card | Health | Province of Manitoba (gov.mb.ca) before requesting your new plastic Manitoba Health Card.

The QR code will enable front desk staff at health care facilities to efficiently and accurately input data, rather than needing to input all information manually. In the coming months, health care facilities will begin to rollout QR code readers.

The QR code can be accessed by medical personnel and health care facilities and will be used for data entry of information. The QR code on the new plastic Manitoba Health Card will only provide the information listed on the card and does not provide access to any personal medical information.

A smart phone is not needed to use the new plastic Manitoba Health Card to access health care services. Manitobans who want to use the digital card, which will be rolled out later this year, will need a smart phone to access.

Manitoba is enhancing health care access for children and youth by transitioning to individual Health Cards for all residents, including children who were previously listed on a family card. This change ensures every child and youth in Manitoba has their own Health Card, promoting independence and better safeguarding the privacy of medical information. Aligning with practices across Canada, this update reflects our commitment to improving health care services for all Manitobans.

Yes, even though all individuals will now receive their own cards, families that share a Manitoba Registration Number will still be linked to each other within the registration system.

Manitoba residents will not be required to switch to the new plastic Health Cards as the current paper Health Card will continue to be valid and will continue to be accepted for accessing medical services.

However, the next time you update your information for the following reasons, a new plastic Health Card will automatically be sent to you:

• Change of name
• Add a spouse
• Add a dependant
• Divorce (for the spouse being removed from the card)

Plastic Health Cards are durable and reduce the risk of counterfeit cards being created. Additionally, the transition to a plastic card will allows Manitoba to align with the Health Card standards of other Canadian provinces and territories.

Adding a photo will not be a part of the first phase but will remain under consideration and reviewed in future phases of this initiative.

The new plastic Manitoba Health Card will be exclusively used to access health care services in this initial phase. As this is a multi-phased initiative, the option to make this card a comprehensive services card will remain under consideration and will be reviewed in future phases of this initiative.

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care has the responsibility to ensure its materials are made available in an accessible format upon request. If you anticipate you may have any accessibility barriers related to the new plastic Manitoba Health Card, please contact: insuredben@gov.mb.ca.

Yes.

The immunization card was used specifically to provide proof of Covid-19 immunizations and is not linked to the Manitoba Health Card.

The new plastic Manitoba Health Card will not be considered an official form of identification in the first phase of this initiative, but this capability will be considered and reviewed in future phases of the initiative.

Addresses will no longer be listed on the Health Card to prevent the need for card holders to request a new Health Card any time their address changes and is not needed for accessing medical services. Despite this change to exclude addresses from the new Health Card, it is still important to ensure your address is current with Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. Please report any changes within 30 days at: Address Change | Health | Province of Manitoba.

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care is working to deliver a digital option for the Manitoba Health Card which is expected to be completed later in 2025, and will allow the Health Cards of applicants and their dependants to be added to a digital wallet.

Yes, based on feedback received from Manitobans and from front-line health care staff, Manitoba Health, Seniors, and Long-Term Care will change this field to alphanumeric to ensure greater clarity and reduce errors related to the date of birth. For example, the date of birth field will now look like: 2024-JA-15. The birth month will be displayed as a bilingual two letter abbreviation.

Based on expected demand, wait times could be higher than usual. If you need a card to access health care services urgently, please contact: Registration and Client Services General Inquires Line at 204-786-7101.

If you have applied for or made changes to your information as of January 6, 2025, a plastic Health Card will be mailed to you without you needing to do anything further.