Any Ontarians still somehow carrying an old school red-and-white health card will have to upgrade to the province's newer photo card this year.
The iconic photo-less relics will no longer be accepted as of July 1.
Ontario
— Patients Canada (@PatientsCanada) January 9, 2020
On July 1 2020 the red and white OHIP cards will not be accepted.Patients without the photo health card will be charged for services. See below for how to replace your card.
Government of Ontario Protecting the Health Care System from Fraud https://t.co/XsNWHwoIWa
It's been a whopping 25 years since the phase-out of the old cards began, yet about 300,000 are still in circulation. Notices will be sent this month to anyone who hasn't renewed their card, followed by monthly reminders of the summer deadline.
Given the lack of photo, signature or other information, the older cards make users more susceptible to fraud and are way more likely to be misused, by Americans in particular.
It was estimated that fraudulent use of the old health cards was costing our system $65 million per year at the time that the new card design was first introduced in 1995. The red-and-white cards, at that point, were only five years old.
Nooooo. I’ve managed to keep my red and white since the card was first phased out 25 years ago.
— Lacey Croft (@LaceyCroft) January 9, 2020
Ontario sets official end date of July 1 for red-and-white health cards https://t.co/n7lZLXfLvb
Patients who haven't adapted to the ways of the future by July 1 — at least, as far as health cards are concerned — will have to pay out-of-pocket for any medical services.
by Becky Robertson via blogTO
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