Like all other provinces in Canada, New Brunswick, with the assistance of the federal government, provides a publicly funded health services program. The New Brunswick plan, called Medicare pays for most medically required services provided by medical practitioners. 

Remember: Each member of your family needs his or her own Health Insurance Card. Please carry your signed New Brunswick Medicare card with you as you must present it to the physician and/or hospital each time you need insured hospital or physician services. A valid card contains information needed by hospitals and physicians.. A valid card contains information needed by hospitals and physicians.. A valid card contains information needed by hospitals and physicians.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for New Brunswick Medicare coverage you must be:

• a Canadian citizen or be legally entitled to remain in Canada;
• a resident who makes his/her permanent and principal home in New Brunswick

A “resident” means a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada, who makes his home and is ordinarily present in New Brunswick, but does not include a tourist, transient or visitor to the Province.

Residents are required to complete a Medicare application and to provide proof of Canadian citizenship, Native status or a valid Canadian immigration document.

Registration

An application for registration (pdf) is available from the offices of Services New Brunswick (SNB). A separate form should be completed for any dependent who has reached their nineteenth birthday. 

Applications are assessed on an individual basis and other documents may be requested to verify eligibility (proof of Canadian Citizenship or Immigration documentation is required).

You can register with New Brunswick Medicare in the following ways:

1.  Mail: Forms can be downloaded and printed from your computer.  When mailing please be certain to sign the application form and include photocopies of any necessary documents (i.e. Canadian Citizenship – otherwise your application may be delayed).  Application Form(pdf)

New Brunswick Medicare

Department of Health & Wellness

PO Box 5100

Fredericton, NB E3B5G8

2.  In Person: Visit any location of Services New Brunswick (www.snb.ca).  

The office in Moncton is located at: 

Service Moncton Service Moncton Service Moncton

Assumption Place

770 Main Street  

Moncton, NB E1C1E7  

Phone: 888-762-8600

Website    

Hours of operation:         

Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm

Saturday – 9am to 12pm

3.  Phone:  Contact the New Brunswick Medicare office for further information or to have an application mailed to you:

Phone:  506-684-7901 (outside New Brunswick) or

Toll Free 1-888-762-8600 (within New Brunswick, except Dalhousie

Coverage/Waiting Period

Once a completed application form is received from new registrants and their eligibility is established, a letter indicating actual start date of coverage is issued. A valid New Brunswick Medicare card is mailed shortly thereafter.

All persons entering or returning to New Brunswick have a waiting period before becoming eligible for Medicare coverage. Coverage commences on the first day of the third month following the month of arrival. For example, if you moved to New Brunswick on July 20, the month of July will count as the first month, with August and September as the following two. In this case, coverage would begin October 1.

The three-month waiting period is legislated under New Brunswick’s Medical Services Payment Act and no exemptions can be made. New or returning residents arriving from outside Canada should contact a private insurance company for coverage during this period.

Your New Brunswick Medicare card has an expiry date. Three months before this date, you will receive a “Notice of Expiry” form which you must complete, sign and return to New Brunswick Medicare. Once the form is received and no additional information is required, coverage will be renewed and a new card sent out with a new expiry date.

Contact Information

New Brunswick Medicare

Department of Health, P. O. Box 5100
Fredericton, NB E3B5G8    

Phone: 1-888-762-8600 (from within North America)
Or 506-684-7901 (outside North America)

Website: www.gnb.ca

    

Telephone Hours of operation:  

Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 8pm

 Saturday – 9am to 1pm