Written by: Liana Hew / Services / June 17, 2022 / 7 minutes read

Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) pays for your medical services after you arrive in Canada as a resettled refugee, refugee claimant, or under another protected status. 

We know that some people who qualify for IFHP require the services of a speech-language pathologist to address concerns with speech, social and communication skills. At WELL SAID, we work with the federal government to help claimants to receive speech therapy, voice therapy and other important communication facilitation services.

The type of IFHP coverage you receive and the length of your coverage depend on your status in Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the CBSA decide whether you are eligible for the IFHP.

The Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) provided by the Government of Canada enables coverage of certain health-care benefits to groups of people who are not yet eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance. These groups of people include refugee claimants, resettled refugees, protected people, and certain other groups.

The services of the Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) are provided by health-care providers and all claims are managed by Medavie Blue Cross. The program includes basic coverage, which is similar to provincial and federal health-care coverage such as in-patient and out-patient treatment, services provided by medical doctors, registered nurses, as well as laboratory, diagnostic and ambulance services. The Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) also includes supplemental coverage from allied health-care providers such as speech therapy, limited vision and dental care, home-care and long-term care, as well as coverage for medical supplies and equipment, and assistive devices.

The Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) does not include coverage for the cost of health-care services or products that are able to be claimed under a private or a public health insurance plan. It also does not allow for coordination or co-payment with other health insurance programs or plans.

Yes, we do! As a team of allied healthcare professionals with our team of speech-language pathologists, Well Said is now registered with Medavie Blue Cross to provide speech therapy to these groups of people include refugee claimants, resettled refugees, protected people, and certain other groups who have coverage from the Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP). We are able to submit Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) claims for speech therapy, on behalf of these clients. 

Our team of CASLPO registered speech-language pathologists located within Ontario are able to work with older teens and adult clients to provide speech therapy services to these protected people, refugee claimants, victims of human trafficking, and detainees. 

The following expenses may be covered:

• Speech-language pathology treatments for adults 

• Speech-language pathology assessments 

• Voice training 

• Support for autism spectrum disorder and/or ADHD for adults

• Support for accent expansion and/or accent modification

• Support for the effects of trauma on communication 

• Stuttering and fluency training and support 

• Transgender and nonconforming voice therapy 

For a complete list of the speech therapy services provided by our speech-language pathologists here at Well Said, please refer to our speech therapy services.

• SPEECH

  • Accent Modification (Adjustment)

  • Lisping

  • Enunciation and Articulation

  • Fluency (Stuttering/stammering, Cluttering)

• COGNITIVE

  • Adult ADHD

  • Concussion

  • Executive functions

• MEDICAL

  • Aphasia (Stroke)

  • Dysarthria

  • Neurodegenerative

  • Oral resections

• DEVELOPMENTAL

  • Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism

• VOICE

  • General voice

  • Transgender

First, you would speak to a medical doctor about your idea, plan or desire to work with a WELL SAID speech-language pathologist and ask for a prescription or a referral for services. This is a required step. 

When you visit WELL SAID, you must bring your referral or prescription, Interim Federal Health Program Certificate or your Refugee Protection Claimant Document with you. You will also need to show government-issued identification.

If you are eligible for the IFHP, you do not need to pay for services. Your health care provider will receive payment from Medavie Blue Cross on your behalf. If you pay for health services, you will not be reimbursed. 

Once you receive your Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card, the IFHP will continue to provide coverage for supplemental services, like speech therapy which is not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Program.

As the Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) only provides health-care benefits coverage for specific individuals such as protected people, refugee claimants, victims of human trafficking, and detainees, in order for Well Said to submit an Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) claim to Medavie Blue Cross on your behalf, the following list of items must be provided before attending your initial consultation, and/or first speech therapy appointment.

These include:

1. Claimant information 

   1. including full name, email address and phone number, address, and date of birth

2. Government issued identification

   1. a copy of the ID may be requested to be included on your file

3. Eight or ten digit Client ID number

   1. as indicated on the IFHP Certificate of Eligibility or the Refugee Protection Claimant Document 

4. Prescription for treatment

   1. health benefit must be prescribed by a physician

   2. prescription must be dated prior to the date of treatment

   3. a copy of the medical prescription must be presented to Well Said prior to the health benefit being provided

   4. any appointment attended before the date of prescription will not be eligible to be claimed

For speech therapy services, coverage is provided in accordance with the current provincial/federal/territorial health insurance rates (where applicable), the usual or customary fees for a given service (where applicable), or the standard IFHP rates.

Step 1

• Have all your required documents prior to booking

  • including claimant information, IFHP Certificate of Eligibility or Refugee Protection Claimant Document eight/ten digit client ID, copy of government issued ID, and a prescription from a medical doctor for the service.

Step 2

• Book your 30 minutes initial consultation appointment

  • by phone to (647) 795 - 5277

  • by email to info@torontospeechtherapy.com

1. ALL subsequent treatment appointments should be booked over the phone, by email, or directly with your speech-language pathologist.

Step 3

• Provide your required information to your speech-language pathologist before/by the initial consultation appointment.

Step 4

• After your initial consultation appointment, book your treatment session(s)

Step 5

• Claim(s) will subsequently be submitted directly by Well Said to Medavie Blue Cross for the Interim Federal Health Program (IHFP) on behalf of the claimant.

• Interim Federal Health Program - Information about IFHP eligibility, how to apply for the program and how to access coverage. From IRCC.

• Application for IFH Coverage Extension - This application guide is for people who want to apply to extend their IFHP coverage. From IRCC.

• Health Care Options for Syrian Refugees - Multilingual fact sheets with information on health care coverage and service options for Syrian refugees in Ontario. From the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Immigration and Refugee Law - Clear language publications on legal topics relating to immigrants and refugees. From Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO).

To speak with one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.