Stupid OHIP Cards

October 6th, 2009 by Potato

How on earth does it make sense for these OHIP cards to have to be renewed every 3-5 years, especially when a) they’re not legally allowed to be used as ID and b) a significant portion of Ontarians still don’t have their first photo OHIP card. In the last 3 years I’ve now spent more time waiting in line to apply for/renew my photo OHIP card than I’ve spent getting medical care, and that includes two hospital trips!

One Response to “Stupid OHIP Cards”

  1. Ben Says:

    It seems like it’s just the luck of the draw, although I’m surprised you’d have to do much waiting in London, ON. When I went to renew my passport in St. Catharines there was no lineup at all. OHIP card-wise, I’ve had mixed results in Toronto. There’s an office very close to Yonge/Sheppard that I go to. The first time I got a number, sat there for 20 minutes and then realized that it was going to take HOURS for them to get to me, so I just left. The next time I went it wasn’t as bad, I waited a while, but nothing insane, probably less than an hour. Then, when I was working on my France visa application I had to go there to get a letter stating that I was indeed covered by OHIP in the province of Ontario, and the place was DESERTED. I walked in, got my number, walked over to the booth and I was in and out in ~10. You just never know though.

    I hear some places are starting to recognize it as a valid form of ID now too…