Health benefits are provided to Income Support (IS) clients including Full-Time Learners, Alberta Child Health Benefit (ACHB) and Alberta Adult Health Benefit (AAHB) recipients. These benefits are regulated and are not subject to appeal to an appeal panel. Health benefits are defined in Income Support, Training and Health Benefits (ISTHB) Regulation, Section 73(2) and are provided through agreements between the Minister and professional organizations representing service providers or drug benefit lists approved by Minister.

Note
Health benefits listed in ISTHB Regulation, Section 73(2) are drugs and nutritional products, dental services, optical services, emergency ambulance services, and essential diabetic supplies.

Under the ISTHB Regulation, Section 74(1), the Minister appointed the Health Benefits Exception Committee (HBEC) to review requests to approve coverage of health benefits not normally provided under ISTHB Regulation, Section 73(2).

The Health Benefits Exception Committee (HBEC) makes decisions regarding health benefits defined in ISTHB Regulation, Section 73(2). The purpose of the HBEC is to provide an arms length decision process, and to ensure decisions are fair, equitable, and within parameters established by regulations and agreements. Decisions of the HBEC are final.

Health Benefits Exception Committee

ISTHB Regulation, Section 74 establishes the authority of the HBEC.

Members of the committee shall consist of employees of the Department of Community and Social Services.

The quorum for the committee is 3 members but, in the case of an emergency as determined by a Committee member, is one member.