With your Health Insurance Card, you benefit from a range of services covered under the Québec Health Insurance Plan. 

As soon as you arrive in Québec,  you must call to obtain the necessary form. Depending on your situation, they will tell you what you need to do to complete your registration.  If you have received your registration form, complete, sign and mail your form and supporting documents to the following address:

Please note that you may register only after you have arrived in Québec.  Visit the RAMQ website for more details on eligibility requirements and to verify agreements with other countries.  You can also visit their Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

The Health Insurance Card is generally valid for a period of 4 to 8 years. However, newcomers to Québec will first obtain a card valid for 1 year. Other exceptions may apply, for instance, for temporary Québec residents. All cards are valid until the last day of the month in which they expire.

Visit the RAMQ website for the detailed steps on how to Register for the Québec Health Insurance Plan.

Specific registration requirements
Newborn or adopted child
Previously registered person
Seasonal agriculture worker (French only)

Damaged, lost or stolen card​

You can request the replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged card, whether for you or for your children under 18.

There are 2 ways to have a valid Health Insurance Card replaced: online or by mail. The new card will display the same photo, signature and expiry date as those on the card being replaced.

• Use the online card replacement service: This is the fastest and cheapest way to obtain a new card.    Cost : $15
• Call to obtain a replacement form: You will receive a personalized form in the mail.  Cost : $25

Card replacement is free for people 65 and over and persons receiving last-resort financial assistance.

Identity theft and reporting the theft

Contact the RAMQ and your local police if you believe that you were the victim of identity theft after losing your Health Insurance Card. To find out what steps you need to take if this happens, refer to the page Vol d’identité (French only webspage) on the website of the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.

Finding a card

If you find a Health Insurance Card, just drop it directly in a mailbox. The card will find its way to the RAMQ and they will handle it securely.

Medical Services Covered 

The medical services covered by the Health Insurance Plan are those that are medically necessary and rendered by a general practitioner (also called a “family doctor”) or a medical specialist. These services include:

Barring rare exceptions, the above services are covered regardless of where they are rendered, for instance in:

• medical clinics
• hospitals
• local community service centres (CLSCs)
• residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs)
• rehabilitation centres
• the patient’s home

For more detailed information, visit the RAMQ website.

Other Services Covered By The Québec Health Insurance Plan

In addition to medical, dental, optometric and pharmaceutical services, the Health Insurance Plan covers a range of other services designed to meet special needs. Persons insured under the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan are also covered for prescription drugs.

For information about the various healthcare services covered by the Health Insurance Plan, refer to the following sections:

• Hearing aids
• Visual aids
• Eyeglasses and contact lenses for children
• Appliances for ostomates
• Devices that compensate for physical deficiencies
• External breastforms
• Ocular prostheses
• Compression garments for lymphedema
• Domestic help
• Accommodation in a public facility
• Accommodation via an intermediate resource
• Free access to prescription drugs
• Removal of a suburethral sling

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