Jump in renewals has Health PEI experiencing backlog of health card applications
Health PEI is dealing with a backlog of requests for renewals, and applications for new health cards.
Normally, the process of getting a new health card takes about five weeks — two weeks for Health PEI to approve the application, and three weeks for the card to be printed and mailed, said Pat Ryan, comptroller for Health PEI.
"Right now, we have a bit of a delay of up to eight weeks to get that whole process done," he said.
The delay is caused by two things, the first is an influx of health card renewal requests.
"Three years ago we had about 6,000 renewals. This year we're looking at up to 50,000 renewals," he said.
"So it's a big kind of a bottleneck for this year on that one."
Increase in demand for renewals comes from the five-year cycle on health cards, as well as an influx of new applications from some students and temporary foreign workers who are eligible, said Ryan.
The number of applications for new health cards has also gone up, with about 5,000 applications right now, Ryan said.
"We've probably doubled in the last three years."
Additional staff to help clear backlog
"We've had some additional staff brought in to deal with some of the workload here. We've anticipated that there was going to be a higher than normal year for renewals and applications. So we have that extra staff on," said Ryan.
"We've also implemented an online health card renewal option for people, and we've sent those out with the letters when people get the renewal letters."
With those measures in place, Ryan said he's expecting the backlog to be cleared over the next couple of months.
"We should be able to get that number back down to normal again."
For Islanders who are waiting for either their renewal to come, or a new health card to arrive, Ryan said they shouldn't refrain from using health services in the province if they need to.
"When those applications are eventually approved, the effective dates of those are back-dated back to when their eligibility began," he said.
"So if you're a new resident of the Island or if you're on that temporary work permit, then the date that you arrived or the date the work permit started is when it's effective back until."
He said if people need to access health-care services, they may be asked to pay a bill, but that once they get their health cards they can request reimbursement.
People who need to get a COVID-19 test do not require a health card in the province.
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