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\nJonathan King spent a year and several visits to Service Ontario before getting his health card.\u00a0(Submitted )<\/em><\/p>\n
A Toronto man has a story to tell about red tape in Ontario after he was unable to get a provincial\u00a0health card for almost a year, despite trying at least half a dozen times.<\/p>\n
Jonathan King, 22, says his problems stemmed from moving to British Columbia for university four years ago. In that time, he let his OHIP card expire.<\/p>\n
Just before moving back to Ontario, he tried to get it renewed. Instead, the Service Ontario worker took it away from him, saying\u00a0he wasn’t a resident of the province anymore.<\/p>\n
“I had no idea this would be an issue,” King\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
During at least six attempts to get health insurance after moving back to Ontario that spring, he was rejected for several reasons.<\/p>\n
King said he was turned away because he was told he needed to bring school transcripts to show he had gone to university\u00a0outside the\u00a0province, or that he should try and switch over his driver’s licence first, or that a bank statement he brought showing his Ontario address wasn’t the right one.<\/p>\n
‘Arbitrary, bureaucratic restrictions’<\/strong><\/p>\n “I was very confused,” he said. “I don’t know why they put so many roadblocks in my way.”<\/p>\n Ontario generally requires someone to\u00a0live\u00a0in the province for three months before being eligible for an\u00a0OHIP card, though King said he tried several times after his three-month mark without luck.<\/p>\n “There are arbitrary, bureaucratic restrictions with the government that prevent Canadians from accessing something that we boast about as a country,” he said.\u00a0He was finally successful this week, but although he said he was “relieved,” he is\u00a0“still frustrated” it took this long.<\/p>\n Before this week, he had to pay out of pocket for a doctor’s visit and an x-ray.<\/p>\n It didn’t cost him much, but he said\u00a0he is lucky because he has a job. King also pointed out Service Ontario locations are typically only open during\u00a0working hours, and he’s lucky he has a flexible employer.<\/p>\n