ISTHB Regulation Section 87 and Section 88 and Section 89 provide the eligibility rules for the AAHB program.

ISTHB Regulation Sections 75-81 list Non-financial eligibility for health benefits.

Health Benefits: Qualifying Income Levels Ministerial Order sets out the maximum qualifying income levels for determining financial eligibility for health benefits at application or annual renewal.

Certain groups receiving health benefits from other sources  are not eligible for Community and Social Services health benefits, even though in some cases they may be eligible for IS financial benefits.

Clients leaving Income Support (IS) and AISH

Completion of the EMP 3428D Schedule D AAHB Enrollment and Renewal form is required, and households must meet the Additional Eligibility Criteria listed below.

• Household units previously in the Expected to Work (ETW) sub-types who obtain independence from IS due to excess income from employment or self-employment, which may be combined with any other type of income.

   

• Household units previously in the Barriers to Full Employment (BFE) sub-types who obtain independence from IS due to excess income from employment or self-employment, which may be combined with any other type of income.

   

• Household units previously in the BFE sub-types, with a severely handicapped adult household member, who obtain independence from IS due to excess income from employment, self-employment or the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) program, which may be combined with any other income.

   

• Household units previously in receipt of Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) benefits who obtain independence from AISH due to excess income from employment, self-employment or the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) program, which may be combined with any other income.

• BFE or ETW or AISH clients whose file closed at any time within the current benefit year are eligible for AAHB coverage until the end of the benefit period (renewal). For example, a client file closed due to employment income combined with child support in January 2015 and no AAHB enrollment was completed. The client identifies health needs in March and requests AAHB. They are eligible for AAHB until the end of June of that same calendar year.

Other Albertans may be eligible for the AAHB but can only be enrolled in other Client Types (pregnancy, high drug costs, special learner students and refugees) by assessors at the Health Benefits Contact Centre.

Additional Eligibility Criteria

All AAHB recipients are expected to:

• Maintain residence in Alberta. 
• Promptly report to the program any changes in address, household members, and other health benefit plan coverage. 
• Refrain from abuse of the AAHB, for example lending or selling their HBC or any goods obtained with the HBC.