Health Care Card

[sexualbanana]

Just out of curiousity, are you supposed to keep your Alberta Health Care card with you all the time?

[codetrap]

There's no law, but it's kindof handy for getting medical help in the event of an emergency.

[Maybelater]

I lost mine and went to the doctor a few times without it.

I had the number written down though, they'll give you a hard time over it if you have no card or number.

[BensonTT]

I have lost my health card for years now... I just give them my # and they are ok with that... but I should get a replacement soon.. LoL

[95EagleAWD]

It also has your organ donor status on it, if that's of interest to you.

[95teetee]

I don't have my card or my number. Never caused me any problems.

But then, I've only gone to the doctor three times in the last 20 years or so (two of those in the last two weeks).

[teamunion]

i personally dont because Id rather not lose it

[Maybelater]

Originally posted by BensonTT
I have lost my health card for years now... I just give them my # and they are ok with that... but I should get a replacement soon.. LoL

It is free, just go into a registry and they'll send you a new one in the mail.

[RY213]

I think its so stupid that they send a piece of paper as "the card" and then they get snotty at the clinic when you dont have it. Why not send a real plastic card and it would last longer? I ended up getting my last one laminated...

[zipdoa]

I recommend keeping a photocopy with you.

It's difficult to remember things when you've been KO'd for 5 minutes and you wake up with amnesia!

[dandia89]

i'm thinking of getting a tattoo of my card

[G-ZUS]

Originally posted by dandia89
i'm thinking of getting a tattoo of my card

I got my DL tatoo'ed on my left bicep so when a cop pulls me over I just pull up my sleeve and show him my muscle.......i mean DL. Now im gonna tatoo my health care and blue cross cards on my right bicep. Then get my visa card tatoo'd on my chest.

[GQBalla]

i don't carry it.

when ive been to the doctors i just show them my ID.


They can pull the information by DL i think...

[Wrath]

I've been told not to carry it....its government issue and can be used as a form of ID (Same goes with birth Certificate)

..but that was along time ago

[dannie]

Originally posted by GQBalla
i don't carry it.

when ive been to the doctors i just show them my ID.


They can pull the information by DL i think...


They are just using the DL to verify you are who you say you are. They go into the system using your name and DOB. Technically, they aren't supposed to, they are required to go by the health care number.

Lots of people are obtaining two cards lately. One for their wallet in case of an emergency and they leave the other one at home.

[clem24]

Originally posted by dannie

Lots of people are obtaining two cards lately. One for their wallet in case of an emergency and they leave the other one at home.

That's cause it comes in 2s...

[dannie]

^ Only when they are first ordered (ie: new to the province and you just applied). If you are replacing one, they come as one

[clem24]

Originally posted by dannie
^ Only when they are first ordered (ie: new to the province and you just applied). If you are replacing one, they come as one

Not really.. I replaced mine just recently and they still come as a sheet of 2. In fact I haven't even detached them yet LOL.

[dannie]

Have a peek at the piece of paper. There are three detatchable areas. One is the actual card, one is a card with VOID written across it and the third has your information in case you need to change it. I just pulled a clients to double check and make sure I wasn't going crazy.

[GQBalla]

yeah i only have one.

i got it as a replacement cause i lost my originals

[rob the knob]

there is many people who share health cards with extended family members who do not yet have health care.

there are many foreigners too who for example work for airlines and travel to canada as part of job and either share health card with canadian family or manage to apply for canada health card using family address in canada

[bignerd]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD
It also has your organ donor status on it, if that's of interest to you.

Why don't they put this on our drivers licenses? Seems people have these on them a lot more often then their health care card...

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by rob the knob
there is many people who share health cards with extended family members who do not yet have health care.

there are many foreigners too who for example work for airlines and travel to canada as part of job and either share health card with canadian family or manage to apply for canada health card using family address in canada


Those are called lecherous thieves.

[dannie]

Originally posted by rob the knob
there is many people who share health cards with extended family members who do not yet have health care.

there are many foreigners too who for example work for airlines and travel to canada as part of job and either share health card with canadian family or manage to apply for canada health card using family address in canada

This is a bigger problem than most people are aware of.



Originally posted by bignerd


Why don't they put this on our drivers licenses? Seems people have these on them a lot more often then their health care card...

From what we've been told, it comes down to cost. The organ donor program is voluntary, so to have someone write their request on the back of their card makes it a cost effective program. Whereas if they place it on the drivers licence, they have to a) calibrate the system to allow for it = $$$ b) they would be required to do it as a no charge service, which is something that Service Alberta would never agree to.