The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides health care coverage to refugee claimants and some refused refugees.
Effective June 30, 2012, the government will implement a number of significant changes to the IFHP. HIV medications, doctor’s visits for HIV follow-up and blood work will continue to be covered under the new IFHP system.
However, some important non-HIV related health care benefits currently covered by the IFHP will be eliminated.
There will now be two categories of IFHP coverage, depending on the country the person is from or the stage of the person’s refugee claim:
- Full coverage (referred to as “health care coverage”).
- Reduced coverage (referred to as “public health or public safety health care coverage”).
Some other IFHP benefits are going to be cut completely and will not be available in either category. There are also cuts to prescription drug coverage for IFHP recipients.
For more information about the changes to the IFHP, please visit our Immigration Law page.