Indigenous Services Canada

The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program provides eligible First Nations and Inuit clients across Canada with health benefits not covered through other social, provincial and private insurance benefit plans. For information see About the Non-Insured Health Benefits program (sac-isc.gc.ca)

The medical supplies covered include ostomy supplies and requires a prescription from an NIHB recognized prescriber (MD, NP NSWOC, WOCC etc)  and prior approval by the NIHB Regional Office. Once approved, providers/vendors bill the NIHB directly, so you are not required to pay deductibles or copayments for approved products. For more information see 13.0 Medical surgical equipment and supplies benefits list (sac-isc.gc.ca)

Prior approval forms and claim forms can be found here NIHB (express-scripts.ca) 

Jordan’s Principle:

Jordans Principal is a legal requirement resulting from the Orders of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and is not a policy or program.​

Jordan's Principle makes sure all First Nations children living in Canada can access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. Funding can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs, including the unique needs that First Nations Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA children and youth and those with disabilities may have.​

More program details:

• Applies to all First Nations children, regardless of whether they live on or off-reserve. ​

• Applies to all government services for First Nations children including mental health, special education, dental, early childhood services, physical therapy, speech therapy, medical equipment (including uncoated and hydrophilic intermittent catheters) and more. ​

• Is not limited to children with disabilities. ​

• Can provide services to First Nations children even when the service is not available to other children.​

• Jordan’s Principal does not replace the products and services covered under the NIHB program. However, Jordan’s Principal may apply to products and services that are not covered through NIHB

For more information, please see the links below:

Jordan's Principal

Jordan's Principal Handbook  (developed and made available by the Assembly of First Nations)

Veterans Affairs Canada

The Treatment Benefits Program provides eligible clients with a VAC healthcare card that provides coverage for medical equipment and other health benefits. In order to qualify for the VAC healthcare card you must qualify for the following Veterans Affairs programs (you do not need to apply, the card will automatically be sent to you):

• a disability benefit,

• the Veterans Independence Program,

• the War Veterans Allowance, or

• financial assistance from VAC for long-term care.

The VAC treatment benefits include bowel and bladder management supplies including for ostomy, colostomy and ileostomy as well as catheter and incontinence supplies. Details can be found here Search VAC treatment benefits - Veterans Affairs Canada including frequencies and dollar limits. Your health care provider can contact VAC if your treatment will exceed these limits https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/contact

Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)

The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides limited, temporary coverage of health-care benefits, including ostomy supplies for specific groups of people in Canada who don’t have provincial, territorial, or private health-care coverage.

This may include:

• Resettled refugees

• Protected persons in Canada (asylum)

• Refugee claimants

• Victims of human trafficking

• Detainees (individuals detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)

For more information, please see the links below:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/help-within-canada/health-care/interim-federal-health-program.html

IFHP Supplemental coverage

Public Service Health Care Plan

RCMP, Federal Government Employees, Retirees & Dependents as well as Participating Employers may be covered through the Public Service Health Care Plan. Eligible individuals can receive 80% reimbursement for colostomy, ileostomy and tracheostomy supplies as well as catheters, drainage bags for incontinent, paraplegic or quadriplegic patients.

• For eligibility see Public Service Health Care Plan summary - Canada.ca

• For coverage details see Extended Health Provision (njc-cnm.gc.ca)

• For Participating Employers see Schedule I – Participating Employers here: Schedule I - Participating Employers (njc-cnm.gc.ca)

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Disability Tax Credit (DTC)

The Disability Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit that helps persons with disabilities or their support/care-givers reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. Being eligible for the DTC can open the door to other federal, provincial, or territorial programs such as the registered disability savings plan, the Canada workers benefit, and the child disability benefit. 

To be eligible you must meet one of the following criteria:

• be blind

• be markedly restricted in at least one of the basic activities of daily living

• be significantly restricted in two or more or the basic activities of daily living (can include a vision impairment)

• need life-sustaining therapy

In addition, the person's impairment must meet all of the following criteria:

• be prolonged, which means the impairment has lasted, or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months

• be present all or substantially all the time (at least 90% of the time)

Learn more about the eligibility criteria: 

• Vision

• Markedly restricted

• Cumulative effect of significant restrictions

• Life-sustaining therapy

To apply use this form T2201 Disability Tax Credit Certificate - Canada.ca

Nurses specializing in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Care provide additional information on the DTC here:  Financial Support & Reimbursement | NSWOCC

Coloplast provides this information for convenience and your general reference only. It does not constitute legal advice or a recommendation regarding clinical practice. Reimbursement, coverage and payment policies can vary from one insurer and region to another and is subject to change without notice. The provider has the responsibility to determine medical necessity and to submit appropriate codes, information, and charges for care provided. Coloplast does not guarantee coverage or payment of products and Coloplast makes no guarantee that the use of this information will prevent differences of opinion or disputes with providers, agencies, insurers, or other payors as to the correct form of billing or the amount that will be paid. This information is provided for your general information only and is not intended to replace any advice you receive from your own internal or external insurance coverage consultants, reimbursement specialists or legal counsel.