PEI Health Card

You need a PEI Health Card to use services at hospitals and other public health care facilities in Prince Edward Island without being charged. Pharmacists also use your health card to record your medications in the PEI Drug Information System.

• Apply for a PEI Health Card
• Renew your PEI Health Card (for permanent residents)
• Renew your Temporary PEI Health Card (for international students, temporary workers, and former international students and temporary workers who have acquired permanent resident status)
• Replace a lost or stolen card
• Change the name, address or telephone number on your card

You may voluntarily provide your race and ethnicity by submitting a Notice of Change to Race and Ethnicity Data to PEI Medicare.

PEI has two types of health cards

1. A PEI Health Card for permanent residents, which is valid for five years from the date it is issued.
2. A Temporary PEI Health Card for international students and temporary workers, which is valid for the duration of your study and/or work permit. 

For eligibility criteria, please see Apply for a Health Card. 

Information on your health card

Your provincial health card contains your eight-digit Personal Health Number (health card number), your name, birth date, and the card expiry date. If you opt to include organ and tissue donation information and your preferred language for medical services, it will include that as well.

Race and Ethnicity Data Collection

When you apply for or renew your PEI Health Card, you may choose to voluntarily share your race and ethnicity. You can also provide this information before or after your renewal period by submitting a Notice of Change to Race and Ethnicity Data to PEI Medicare. You may also request to change or remove your race and ethnicity data, at any time, using this form.  

The collection of this data will be used to better understand differences in health outcomes, identify gaps in care, and improve services. It will not be listed on your PEI Health Card, added to your medical chart, or seen by your health care provider. It will be used at the population level for health planning and quality improvement, not for individual care. To learn more, visit Race and Ethnicity Data Collection Project.

Why am I being asked to complete the resident experience survey during my PEI health card application or renewal process?

You are requested to complete this survey to help us understand your experience and/or hesitations sharing your race and ethnicity information during PEI health card application or renewal processes. Your feedback is important to help us evaluate this approach and make sure race and ethnicity data collection is done in an effective and respectful way. Taking the survey is voluntary and will not affect your health card application or renewal, or access to health services.

Complete the Resident Experience Survey

Out-of-province coverage

If you temporarily leave PEI for travel, study, or work, your PEI Health Card will cover you for emergency or sudden-illness health care services. 

Travelling within Canada 

Notify PEI Medicare if your absence will exceed one month to help avoid any delay in payment for an out-of-province service. Provide your departure and return dates, destination, and reason for absence. For example, an extended winter vacation or a sabbatical leave.

Travelling outside Canada  

Please purchase private insurance for health coverage while outside Canada. The cost for medical services outside Canada may be considerably higher and you will be required to pay medical costs upfront.  

You will be reimbursed at PEI rates in Canadian currency; however, you will be responsible to pay the difference between the amount charged and the amount paid by PEI Medicare. 

Submit your detailed invoice and proof of payment to PEI Medicare within six months of the date of service. 

Studying outside of PEI

Island students who will be studying outside of the province must notify PEI Medicare of their plans at the beginning of each school year to ensure appropriate medical coverage.

Students who are studying outside of the province are required to submit a Proof of Enrollment letter from their designated learning institute. 

Note:  PEI Medicare will not authorize acceptance letters, tuition cost forms, or student ID cards.

If you will be studying within Canada, you will be insured for emergency health services or sudden illness care including visits to an emergency department or walk-in clinic for a sudden or life-threatening illness and being admitted to hospital for an emergency procedure or treatment.

Non-emergency care such as elective surgeries and treatments, or treatment for a chronic condition or ailment requires prior approval from Health PEI for the service to be insured.  

Working outside of PEI  

If PEI is your primary residence and your job requires you to live and work out-of-province or outside of Canada for an extended period of time, you must notify PEI Medicare to ensure you have appropriate medical coverage. 

Moving off PEI

If you move to another Canadian province or territory you will remain eligible for PEI health coverage until the first day of the third month when you become eligible for coverage in your new province. 

Please register in your new province of residence within 30 days of moving to ensure uninterrupted health coverage. 

If you leave Canada permanently your coverage will be terminated the day you leave PEI.

To change the address, telephone number, or name on your PEI Health Card: 

Call PEI Medicare at 1-800-321-5492.  

If your name has changed or if you have received a card with incorrect information, you will not be charged for a replacement card.

Please confirm your information has been updated the next time you provide your health card at a Health PEI program or facility. 

Contact PEI Medicare

c/o Health PEI
126 Douses Road
Montague, PE C0A 1R0

Telephone: 902-838-0900, 1-800-321-5492 (toll-free)
Fax: 902-838-0940