As a new New Brunswicker, you’re entitled to basic, universal, government-funded health care. Healthcare coverage, including most medically required services, is provided by the provincial government. Many employers offer additional coverage to their employees as part of their benefits package.
Make sure you bring your medical records with you to share with your new doctor, dentist, and other service providers.
To learn more, watch this webinar on healthcare in New Brunswick presented by the Saint John YM-YWCA. You can also discover more about Canada’s healthcare system here.
Our province is divided into two health care regions Vitalité Health Network and Horizon Health Network. Your region of service will be determined by where you settle.
To obtain healthcare services, you’ll need a New Brunswick Medicare card, which covers most medically required services, and your card is a key piece of identification.
Canadian Health Insurance is paid for by Canadians through their taxes. It means Canadians don’t have to pay directly for most medical care from a doctor or at a hospital. The New Brunswick government oversees Medicare for people who live in the province.
As part of your plans to move to Canada, it’s best to buy some private health insurance. This way, you’ll be covered for any medical emergency after you arrive.
To be eligible for New Brunswick Medicare you must reside in New Brunswick and you must be legally entitled to remain in Canada. A “resident” means a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada, it includes foreign workers and international students, but it does not include a tourist, transient or visitor to the province as legislated under New Brunswick’s Medical Services Payment Act.
After you apply, you’ll get a letter with Medicare numbers for each member of your family, followed by Medicare cards a few weeks later. The Medicare application form is available from any Service New Brunswick location or online. A separate form should be filled out for anyone in your family who is 19 or older. You can also contact Medicare directly:
Tel: 1-506-453-8275
Toll-free: 1-888-762-8600 (SNB Teleservices)
Website: www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/fr/ministeres/sante/Assurancemaladie.html
Email: [email protected]
Tele-Care is a free, confidential health advice and information line. Dial 811 for access to bilingual registered nurses, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You’ll speak to a registered nurse when you call Tele-Care about health symptoms, injuries, or illnesses. The nurse will assess your situation and provide information and advice to help you decide what to do. In an emergency, call 911 or visit the local emergency department.
People covered by New Brunswick Medicare can access doctors and nurse practitioners at hospitals and don’t have to pay for regular visits.
Patient Connect NB is the provincially managed, bilingual patient registry for New Brunswickers without a primary healthcare provider. Anyone who is eligible for a New Brunswick Medicare card is eligible to register with Patient Connect NB.
If you’re currently living outside the province but are planning to move to New Brunswick, you can register for Patient Connect NB, but you must have a valid Medicare card from another Canadian province to register.
You can register online or by calling Tele-Care 811.
Until you’ve been accepted as a patient by a family doctor or nurse practitioner, there are several walk-in or after-hours clinics where you can go for care.
In New Brunswick, you have access to care at local walk-in medical clinics. Walk-in clinics do not take appointments. After-hours medical clinics may allow you to make an appointment. You can look for your nearest medical clinic in the telephone directory, by calling Tele-Care, or by contacting local immigrant-serving agencies for a list of clinics.
If there is no clinic in your community, care is available from the outpatient department at your nearest hospital.
You can reach any emergency service in New Brunswick by dialing 911 on your telephone. The 911 operator will help identify what service you’ll need: fire, police, medical, or poison control.
In addition to a family doctor, many New Brunswickers have a family dentist whom they see regularly for preventative care. Talk to your medical insurer and your employer about how your dental coverage works.
You can find a dentist in New Brunswick through the New Brunswick Dental Society.
If you’re feeling upset, depressed, or overcome by stress, talk to your doctor, a counselor at your immigration settlement agency, or a counselor located in your area. For emergency mental health care, there are community mental health centres, crisis centres, and a number of addiction services throughout the province.
There are many services available to people with disabilities, including counseling, education, employment assistance, financial assistance, housing support, recreational activities, and transportation.
To learn more, see the Premier’s Council on Disabilities.
Let us know your questions and we’ll get back to you with answers.