Province scraps plan to combine driver’s licence and health card

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This article was published 19/01/2017 (3514 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans are going to have to hold onto their flimsy paper health card a little bit longer.

A $13-million plan by the former NDP government to introduce an all-in-one identification card later this year has been scrapped by the Progressive Conservatives, the Free Press has learned.

During last January’s pre-election announcement blitz, the NDP said it was forming a partnership with Manitoba Public Insurance to issue new personal identification cards beginning in the fall of 2017.

The card would have served as a driver’s licence and also include Manitobans’ personal health identification number on the back, bringing an end to paper health cards. Non-drivers would have also received plastic cards with their photo and health information.

Concerns over privacy, costs and required legislation changes have resulted in the Tories taking a second look at the promise.

Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said the government had examined the project’s parameters, and a number of issues were identified, including the safe storage and management of personal health information.

“The decision was made not to proceed, which will prevent additional costs for implementation and ongoing support beyond those anticipated in the initial proposal,” he said in a prepared statement.

The NDP’s proposal was praised by anti-poverty advocates who said it would help those who face multiple barriers when trying to obtain identification — identification that allows them to register to vote, rent an apartment or get a job.

Josh Brandon with the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg said he was disappointed to hear the plan was cancelled.

“For low-income people, to be able to afford the various forms of ID that you need to access government services, to access employment in some cases, the all-in-one ID card would be a huge benefit,” said Brandon. “People can be get caught in the cracks for a long time, and it can be very expensive.”

The province hasn’t ruled out introducing a single personal information card, but Goertzen said it “has to be done right the first time.” No timeline for future implementation was given.

The province and the public auto insurer initially announced in 2015 that they were considering the new personal identification card. MPI held public consultations involving more than 4,000 Manitobans and 29 interested groups before the decision was made to proceed with the initiative.

A spokesman for MPI said the Crown corporation would not be commenting on the government’s decision.

Kevin Walby, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg and privacy expert, had reservations about the NDP’s initial plan to combine a person’s health information with an insurance entity.

“You wouldn’t necessarily want some entity that has something to do with insurance to accidentally or even purposefully have access to health records, it could drive up premiums, it could eliminate eligibility for coverage,” Walby said. “Information about ourselves can be used for things we are not aware of.”

While he believes the Tories’ decision could be more about austerity, less about privacy, he said an all-in-one card might not be as efficient as Manitobans think.

“It could create big problems, like if I lost my card, I’ve (actually) lost multiple cards,” he said.

Andrew Swan, a New Democrat MLA and former minister responsible for MPI, said the decision is an example of the Tories refusing to move forward with any initiative that is connected with the NDP — regardless of its practicality. He said initial consultations proved the measure would be welcomed by health-care professionals and anti-poverty advocates — plus save money in the long run by not having to issue paper Manitoba Health cards.

“I don’t know why you would scrap the entire project and potentially waste money that was spent developing by simply saying you will come back to it at another date when it will likely be more expensive,” said Swan, the MLA for Minto.

“Being an inner-city MLA, I come across people who don’t have a form of ID they can use. That is why a number of anti-poverty advocates, health-care providers, have been saying that coming up with a sensible, single card would be the right way to go.”

He also noted a picture attached to a health card would help prevent prescription fraud.

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @kristinannable