N.W.T. health card renewals taking too long: MLA

Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen says it's taking too long to process N.W.T. health care card renewals.

For some residents, coverage is expiring before their card renewal applications are being processed and they are beingasked to pay for services upfront.

"I had a constituent that showed up for a medical procedure in Yellowknife three days before her birthday when her card expired, only to be told by the health professional that she in fact had to pay for the service and then she'd get reimbursed later," said Groenewegen.

"Her health care card hadn't even expired yet and they were telling her this."

N.W.T. health cards are valid for three years and expire on your birthday. However, the majority of cards in the territory are expiring in 2013.

N.W.T. Health and Social Services Minister Tom Beaulieu says 38,000 cards need to be renewed this year. Statistics Canada estimates the current population of the territory at43,407.

He said staff in Inuvik are processing applications and the cards are printed in Ontario.

Beaulieu said if the Inuvik office needs more staff, the department is prepared to put more people in that office.