NDP accused of fumbling plastic health card release

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This article was published 27/12/2024 (361 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — Applicants for a new Manitoba Health card who expect to receive a modern plastic version featuring the northern lights will be disappointed.

The decades-old paper health card will continue to be issued until the provincial government can roll out the long-promised plastic card.

A spokesperson for cabinet communications couldn’t explain the reason for the delay. Premier Wab Kinew promised in his state of the province address on Dec. 3 that Manitobans would be able to “order” the new plastic card this month. He said at the time that it would replace the printed paper version that hasn’t changed in close to 50 years.

“We’re moving Manitoba strongly, decisively into the 1980s,” he quipped at the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce event.

The government’s throne speech on Nov. 19 also stated that “This December, you can apply for a new, plastic health card illuminated by the winning design, (the) northern lights.”

In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, the premier said the rollout has been delayed until mid-January, in part because the Canada Post strike prevented a “pile” of new paper health cards from being sent out. Neither the premier nor government communications staff could say how many paper health cards were held up or explain how the strike had slowed the rollout of the plastic cards.

The Canada Post disruption that began Nov. 15 and ended Dec. 17 doesn’t explain the reason for the delay, said Progressive Conservative health critic Kathleen Cook.

“A postal strike doesn’t prevent the government from taking applications online or printing plastic health cards to send out once the strike ends,” Cook said in an email. “This delay is yet another broken promise from the NDP on health care,” the member for Roblin said.

“Details related to the production of the province’s new plastic health cards are still being finalized,” a government spokesman wrote in an email Tuesday, without elaborating.

Once those details and a new online application for the plastic card is in place, Manitobans can apply for it.

They won’t be sent automatically to people covered by Manitoba Health.

“The new plastic card is optional, so until people apply, Manitoba Health assumes people still want their paper version,” the spokesman said.

In addition, it won’t be first-come, first-served, a cabinet communications assistant said. Those who don’t currently have a health card will be the priority, so they can get the coverage they need first.

Requiring Manitobans to apply for the plastic replacement card will help to ensure that the province has the correct, up-to-date name, date of birth and address information, “and especially so they get delivered to the right address,” she said.

The government, which has promised to fix health care and is 14 months into its mandate, could’ve scored points by offering Manitobans modern, durable and attractive health cards to replace the worn-out paper ones, said one expert, who added it would have been viewed as a quick fix and emblematic of progress.

“I think they thought, ‘Oh, this will be an easy win.’ Like many things, it’s more complicated than one would imagine,” said University of Winnipeg political science Prof. Malcolm Bird.

The province has said a digital version will be available for Manitobans to save on their smartphones.

» Winnipeg Free Press