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Manitobans will now be able to keep a health card on their phones.
Residents who are already registered with the province’s health system are now able to request a digital version they can present whenever they need care, the province said Monday.
The announcement comes a year after the Manitoba government began replacing paper health cards prone to wear and tear with plastic ones.
“For everyone else who was thinking it’s time to move Manitoba into the 1980s technology-wise, hey, we brought forward the plastic health cards,” Premier Wab Kinew said Monday.
“Now some could argue we’re moving into the 2000s, maybe even the 2020s.”
The government said the digital health cards will make accessing care more convenient, reducing the need to carry a physical card.
Monday’s announcement comes a year after the Manitoba government began replacing paper health cards, prone to wear and tear, with plastic ones. (Prabhjot Lotey Singh/CBC)
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said having that option matters in emergencies, like the evacuations caused by this year’s wildfires.
“People often had to leave their homes or their settings very quickly, without that moment or that opportunity to grab and gather all of their documents,” Asagwara said.
“Having access to your health card on your phone makes one small part of an already difficult situation or health emergency just a little bit easier.”
The digital cards will be stored on the MB Wallet app, the province said, which will also allow Manitobans to schedule clinic appointments through the MediNav online booking system.
Asagwara said parents will also be able to keep their children’s cards in the app. Theprovince having its own app means it can take precautions to protect Manitobans’ health information, they said.
Kinew said the app will hopefully be able to store things like hunting and fishing licences in the near future. There’s been “a lot of work” done to ensure the data is secure, he said.
“For all the conspiracy-minded folks who are running to their YouTube channels, stop. This is not mandatory,” Kinew said. “Totally optional. It’s up to you. If this is going to make your life easier, get a digital health card.”
The digital card cost the province $1.9 million, the premier said. It can be requested online starting Monday afternoon.
Manitobans must have a My Manitoba Health Card account and the MB Wallet app installed on their mobile device to download it.
People applying for a new health card can choose between the digital or plastic version or get both.
