Manitobans will soon have access to a convenient, safe and secure all-in-one personal identification card (PIC).
“Response from the public was overwhelmingly positive,” Health Minister Sharon Blady said. “Not only do Manitobans embrace the convenience of carrying just one durable and tamper-proof card to access health care and other services, they also strongly believe the PIC will better protect against identify theft, forgery and fraud.”
The PIC will integrate a person’s health identification number (PHIN) onto the back of driver’s licences and photo identification cards. The minister noted the PICs are expected to be issued starting as soon as the fall of 2017, and will be authenticated using industry-proven policies, procedures and practices currently in place at Manitoba Public Insurance. Manitoba Public Insurance already issues photo identification to approximately 92 per cent of health card holders. The minister said anyone who requires a Manitoba Health Card will transition to a new PIC at no charge.
Once introduced, the minister noted the PIC will:
- offer the convenience of a durable, all-in-one card;
- use advanced technology to better protect cardholders against identity theft, forgery and fraud;
- ensure private information stays confidential;
- improve access to photo identification for low-income and homeless Manitobans; and
- help deliver the right services to the right person through easy photo identification of cardholder.
Manitoba Public Insurance launched a comprehensive, five-week public and stakeholder consultation process last August. The minister noted that through public consultations, online feedback and telephone surveys, more than 4,000 Manitobans and 29 stakeholder organizations provided input.
“Positive feedback was provided by a wide spectrum of affected stakeholder groups,” said Attorney General Gord Mackintosh, minister responsible for Manitoba Public Insurance. “In addition to receiving feedback from thousands of Manitobans, we heard from many interested stakeholders including Manitoba’s francophone community, Indigenous representatives, social service agencies, health-care administrators and service providers. All of their suggestions will be considered as the initiative moves forward.”
“Of the many suggestions received during the consultation process, we are pleased to announce that we will be significantly expanding the life-saving capacity of organ donation services in Manitoba,” said Minister Blady. “By integrating the organ donor registry into the PIC issuance process, Manitobans will easily be able to state their preferences for organ donation if they choose to do so.”
The minister also noted that while Manitoba Public Insurance will be accountable for establishing and verifying identity, Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors will retain full responsibility for determining eligibility for health services, assignment of personal health information numbers and approving family relationships under health registration numbers for health-care billing and pharmacare deductible application purposes.
She also stressed that no personal health or drug records will be shared with Manitoba Public Insurance and no driver’s licence information or driver history will be shared with Manitoba Health.
The minister noted the PIC initiative will have no financial impact on MPI ratepayers and will improve personal identification for all Manitobans, particularly for homeless and low-income citizens who may not necessarily have had access to proper photo identification.
