GNWT Announces New Extended Health Benefits Program’s Income Thresholds and Cost Sharing

Public Service Announcement

Yellowknife — April 30, 2024

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has established income thresholds and cost sharing arrangements for the new Extended Health Benefits program, set to take effect on September 1, 2024. Income assessment ensures equitable access to healthcare benefits while striking a balance between offering assistance to those in need and responsibly managing public funds.

Through assessing income, eligibility for benefits will be determined by thresholds customized to reflect the unique cost of living in each region. Using the Northern Market Basket Measure (MBM-N) from Statistics Canada will ensure that low-income thresholds accurately capture the true cost of necessities in each region.

Here are the low-income thresholds for each region based on net income:

  • Tłı̨chǫ: $30,605
  • South Slave: $30,622
  • Yellowknife: $31,134
  • Dehcho: $32,327
  • Beaufort Delta: $37,153
  • Sahtu: $37,628

Eligible residents, whose income falls below the low-income threshold, are covered for a suite of benefits at no cost. Those with a higher income are eligible for prescription drug and medical supplies and equipment benefits and must contribute to covering a portion of the cost. An Extended Health Benefits Calculator has been created to help residents understand their benefit coverage and to estimate out-of-pocket expenses they may need to pay.

For more information on income thresholds and the use of the calculator, please visit: https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/implementing-2024-extended-health-benefits-policy/calculator.

For more information on the new Extended Health Benefits Policy and its implementation, please visit the following resources:

The changes made to the Extended Health Benefits Policy have no impact on seniors aged 60 and older, as their current benefit levels remain unchanged. Similarly, there are no changes for residents who access the Non-Insured Health Benefits and Métis Health Benefits.

 

For media requests, please contact:

Andrew Wind

Manager, Communications

Health and Social Services

Government of the Northwest Territories

Andrew_Wind@gov.nt.ca

(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034