Renewing Medicare Card: New Brunswick Steps

If you're a resident of New Brunswick, you can renew your Medicare card by calling 1-888-762-8600 or by visiting your local SNB office. You can also renew your card by completing a Change Request, Replacement and/or Renewal form. It's important to keep your information up-to-date, as Medicare coverage may be terminated if you don't notify New Brunswick Medicare of any changes to your address. Your Medicare card will be automatically renewed and mailed to your address upon expiration, which is usually valid for five years.

How to renew an expired card

If your New Brunswick Medicare card has expired, you can renew it by calling TeleServices at 1-888-762-8600 or by visiting your local SNB office. You will be required to provide a copy of your extended permit(s) or the front and back of your permanent resident card(s) for each member of your household.

Please note that you cannot renew your card online. To renew your card, you must follow one of the two options mentioned above.

If your card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you can still renew it, but you will need to pay a minimal fee of $10.00. To arrange for a replacement card, visit your local Service New Brunswick office or send a completed Medicare Change Request, Replacement and/or Renewal form, signed and dated, to New Brunswick Medicare, along with a cheque or money order for $10.00.

Seniors who receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, income assistance recipients, and residents who have received a damaged or misprinted card are exempt from the $10.00 replacement card fee.

It is important to keep your Medicare card up-to-date, as it includes your address. If you change your address, you must notify New Brunswick Medicare to ensure that your coverage is not terminated. You can do this by contacting Service New Brunswick at 1-888-762-8600 or by completing a Change Request, Replacement and/or Renewal form.

What to do if your coverage has been terminated

If your New Brunswick Medicare coverage has been terminated, you can call TeleServices at 1-888-762-8600 or visit your local SNB office to renew your coverage. You will need to provide a copy of your extended permit(s) or the front and back of your permanent resident card(s) for each member of your household.

It is important to keep your information up to date and notify New Brunswick Medicare of any changes to your address. If you don't, your Medicare coverage might be terminated. If you are moving permanently from another province to New Brunswick, you may be eligible for New Brunswick Medicare coverage on the first day of the third month following your arrival in the province. You will need to complete and submit an Application for Registration form, along with documentation proving your identity and residency.

If you are a permanent resident of New Brunswick, you are entitled to universal, basic, and government-funded health care. The New Brunswick Medicare Health Plan covers most medically required services, such as critical illness or emergencies. However, it is recommended to opt for additional health insurance from a private insurance company to cover medical services that are not included in the plan.

If you are leaving New Brunswick, it is important to inform New Brunswick Medicare by calling Service New Brunswick (SNB) at 1-888-762-8600 or visiting their local office. Failure to do so before your departure may result in termination of your coverage. If you are leaving the province temporarily, you may still be covered by New Brunswick Medicare during your absence, provided you have lived in the province for at least five months (153 days) in the past 12 months.

How to update your address

New Brunswick Medicare is a health care coverage plan administered by the Department of Health. Since your Medicare card includes your address, it is important to keep your information up-to-date and notify New Brunswick Medicare of your change of address. There are two ways to change your address on your New Brunswick Medicare card:

• Contact Service New Brunswick at 1-888-762-8600
• Complete a Change Request, Replacement and/or Renewal form. Make sure to indicate all household members included in the move on the form.

If you don't notify New Brunswick Medicare of your change of address, your Medicare coverage might get terminated.

You will not receive a new card when you change your address. Your New Brunswick Medicare card has an expiry date and will stay valid until the last day of the month indicated. You will receive a new card about one month before this date. That is why it is important to notify New Brunswick Medicare to make sure you receive your new card when it expires.

If you want to renew an expired card or if your coverage has been terminated, you can call TeleServices at 1-888-762-8600 or visit your local SNB office.

If you are moving permanently from another province to New Brunswick, you may be eligible for New Brunswick Medicare coverage on the first day of the third month following the month of your arrival. You need to complete and sign an Application for Registration form and mail it to Medicare directly (the address is listed on the form) or deliver it in person to an SNB office. Along with the form, you must submit documentation that proves your identity and residency, including proof of Canadian citizenship or a copy of all Canadian Immigration identification records and entry stamps on passports. After the application form is received and Medicare establishes your eligibility, you will receive a letter indicating the actual start date of your New Brunswick Medicare coverage, followed by a New Brunswick Medicare card.

If you are moving out of New Brunswick temporarily, your coverage will stay valid during your absence, provided that you have lived in New Brunswick for at least five months (153 days) during a 12-month period. If so, you may be temporarily absent from New Brunswick for up to 212 days. It is recommended that, in all instances of temporary leave (one month or more), you notify New Brunswick Medicare to make sure you maintain Medicare eligibility.

What to do if your card is lost, stolen or damaged

If your Medicare card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you should replace it as soon as possible. There are several ways to do this:

• If you have Original Medicare, you can request a new card by calling Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
• If you worked for a railroad, you can call the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) at 877-772-5772 (TTY users can call 312-751-4701), Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• You can call Social Security at 800-772-1213 (TTY users, call 800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• You can also request a replacement card online at the Social Security website. You will need to create a My Social Security account to sign in if you don't already have one. Once you have logged in, select the "Replacement documents" tab, and then select "Mail my replacement Medicare card."
• You can request a new card in person at your local Social Security office.
• If you have a Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan instead of Original Medicare, you should contact your plan provider for a new card. You can follow the instructions from that provider's customer service line or website to request a replacement card.

Your replacement Medicare card will be mailed to you about 30 days after your request. The card will go to the address on file, so be sure to contact Social Security or the RRB and update your address if you've moved. You can do this by phone, or update your address and contact information yourself at your My Social Security account.

If you need a replacement card sooner than 30 days, Social Security or the RRB can provide a letter for you to use as temporary proof of Medicare coverage. This letter will be mailed to you in about 10 days. To request such a letter, contact Social Security or the RRB. If you need proof of Medicare coverage immediately, go to your local Social Security office or Railroad Retirement Board office in person.

How to apply for a new card

To apply for a New Brunswick Medicare card, you must be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to remain in the country, and a resident of the province of New Brunswick. International students with immigrant status also qualify for Medicare benefits but are recommended to get basic personal insurance to cover dental insurance or pre-existing medical conditions that are not covered by Medicare.

You can apply for a new card by visiting an office or sending your application by email. You will need to present proof of citizenship or immigration status. If you are a new or returning resident, you must submit a signed original Application for Registration form. Completed forms must be delivered in person or mailed to Medicare.

If you are moving permanently from another province to New Brunswick, you may be eligible for Medicare coverage on the first day of the third month following your arrival in the province. You will need to complete an Application for Registration form, sign it, and mail it to Medicare directly (the address is listed on the form) or deliver it in person to an SNB office. Along with the form, you must submit documentation proving your identity and residency, including proof of Canadian citizenship or a copy of all Canadian Immigration identification records and entry stamps on passports.

Once your application and documentation have been received by Medicare, allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing. If you have not received correspondence after 8 weeks, contact Service New Brunswick Teleservices at 1-888-762-8600.

Frequently asked questions