BC Kinship Care Medical Coverage: Health and Dental Benefits for Children

Medical Coverage Depends on the Care Arrangement

Children who meet BC residency and coverage requirements can be covered by the Medical Services Plan (MSP). Check the child's registration and Personal Health Number when care arrangements or addresses change. Additional dental, vision, prescription, and therapeutic services depend on the care arrangement and program.

MSP: The Baseline

MSP coverage depends on eligibility and registration, not on kinship status. If the child already has a Personal Health Number, confirm their coverage and update any required address or caregiver details with the plan.

If the child is moving from another province or from outside Canada, contact the plan administrator about registration and any waiting period before assuming the child is covered.

EFP Supplementary Health Coverage

EFP care providers can request medical, dental, and optical coverage through provincial coverage streams. Ask the social worker which benefits apply to the child and what steps are required:

• Dental care — confirm which services and limits apply
• Optical coverage — confirm which services and limits apply
• Other services — ask whether prescriptions or therapeutic services are covered under the child's specific plan

Do not assume that every service is automatic or that no separate step is needed. Confirm start dates, approvals, and coverage duration with the worker.

If you need a specific service — such as braces or a specialized assessment — discuss it with your social worker and ask whether pre-authorization is required.

Informal Care: Filling the Gaps

If you're caring informally (no EFP, no court order), confirm the child's MSP registration and check separately which public health programs are available. Informal care alone does not provide EFP supplementary coverage.

Your options for filling those gaps:

PharmaCare Fair PharmaCare: Check the program's own household, income, and registration rules before estimating prescription coverage.

Healthy Kids Program: Check its current eligibility and covered services directly. Receiving the CCB or being below a CCB threshold does not by itself establish Healthy Kids eligibility.

First Nations health benefits: If the child is First Nations, ask their community or care agency whether Non-Insured Health Benefits or another Indigenous health program applies. Do not assume registration alone establishes eligibility for every service listed.

Court-Ordered Care

If you have a CFCSA court order (Section 35 or 41 temporary custody), ask the MCFD or ICFSA worker which health supports apply to that specific order. Do not assume the coverage is identical to an EFP agreement.

Under a private FLA guardianship order, MCFD is not involved and does not provide MCFD out-of-care funding. Check public health program eligibility separately and ask your employer benefits administrator whether the plan allows you to add the child.

Getting Dental and Medical Records Transferred

When you first take the child to a new dentist or doctor, they'll ask for the child's medical history. Contact the previous provider about transferring records and ask what written consent or legal authority they require before releasing them.

The BC Kinship Financial Help Guide maps out the health coverage available under each care arrangement type and includes an agency communication log for tracking medical and dental referrals.

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