Find out which medical travel costs our health plan covers

We cover the cost of travel for emergency air ambulance services. We also cover travel for essential non-emergency insured health services when they are not available in your community. Medical travel covers both in-territory and outside travel for medical services within Canada.

For more information, contact your care provider or Insured Health and Hearing Services at 867-667-5209. Download the simple guide: medical travel with Yukon Insured Health.

Who's eligible?

• you must be enrolled in or be eligible for the  Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan (YHCIP);
• the medical service must be provided by a licensed medical practitioner and considered essential to your health;
• the service must not be available within your home community;
• you must start your travel in the Yukon;
• a doctor, nurse or other health care professional must provide an application; and
• the Medical Travel Program must approve the application.

People covered through other acts or programs are not eligible

Depending on your situation, you, your spouse and family may be covered by other acts or programs. For example, if you:

• are injured or become ill at work, you'd deal with the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board;
• have First Nations or Inuit Status, you have coverage under non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit.
• are a member of the Canadian Armed Forces or the RCMP; or
• are a federal government employee, you have medical travel coverage through your work.

What does the program offer?

If the medically necessary Insured Health service you require is not available in your community, we may cover travel for you to receive that service. This could include mileage reimbursement at the in territory rate of 30 cents per kilometre, and the most appropriate and cost effective flights to get to your appointments.

We also cover in-territory travel for the following non-insured services:

• Hearing Services;
• Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services;
• Child Development Services; 
• Outpatient Therapy Services at Whitehorse General Hospital; and
• Fertility services.

When you're on approved medical travel, you're eligible to claim a subsidy to assist with costs incurred while on medical travel:

• You and any approved escorts will receive a travel subsidy of $78 for same day travel.
• If you need to stay overnight as an outpatient while on medical travel, you will receive a $155 travel subsidy starting on the first day (up to 16 days). Any pre approved escorts will receive a travel subsidy of $88 per day.
• If you are admitted to a facility as an inpatient, you are not entitled to a daily subsidy, however, depending on the approval type, an escort may be eligible to receive a travel subsidy of $174 per day during your admittance. 

How do I apply?

Print the form to apply for a subsidy to help cover costs for medical travel outside of Yukon. You need this form with you at your appointment. Have your medical practitioner sign at each of your appointments to confirm you received the services.

Following your appointment, you can drop off the subsidy form at one of the secure drop boxes located at:

• Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport, situated across from the arrivals doors; and
• Whitehorse General Hospital, situated at the intersection to the specialist clinic hallway and the entrance.

You can also email, fax, mail or drop off your subsidy form directly to Insured Health. See below for contact details.

Travel escorts

Some patients are not able to travel without help. Your medical practitioner may request an escort to accompany you. These requests will be approved if specific criteria are met. We’ll cover the travel costs of approved escorts.

For the list of specific criteria see the medical travel escorts policy.

Non-resident, visiting Yukon or travelling?

If you are not a resident of Yukon and you need medical travel during your stay in the territory, you will be responsible for all medical travel costs. The medical travel program will only organize medical travel for visitors and non-residents needing emergency medical travel to a health centre or Southern hospital. Visitors needing medevac, ground ambulance or hospital transfer will be invoiced for the full cost of these services.

Likewise, if you are outside the Yukon on personal travel, we do not cover the cost of air or ground ambulance services. This also applies when you are out on Medical Travel but choose to stay for additional personal days. We also do not cover the cost of any related services, such as:

• hospital transfers;
• escorts; and
• return transportation charges.

Any time you leave the Yukon, we recommend that you get private medical insurance that covers medical travel.

Need more details?

• Find information about travel interruptions, mileage reimbursement rates, flight changes and in-territory subsidies in the in-territory transportation policy and the out-of-territory transportation by vehicle policy. 
• Find information about the Consumer Price Index (CPI) subsidy adjustment. 
• Find information about one-way airfare and ticket changes in the out-of-territory transportation by air policy.
• Find information about travel for opioid treatment in the opioid treatment policy.
• Find information about travel to access medical abortions in the Mifegymiso policy.
• Download the Air ambulance guide.