Seniors and people with mobility issues in Peguis, Manitoba, can now have the professional installation of medical safety equipment covered, with no out-of-pocket cost to eligible members, through a localized expansion of the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program at Peguis.
The Peguis Health Centre is working with Indigenous Services Canada and NIHB to cover 100 per cent of the professional installation costs for items described in local guidance, including bathroom grab bars, safety rails and floor-to-ceiling poles.
The initiative aims to help residents stay in their own homes longer by ensuring equipment is set up safely and correctly. Historically, NIHB arrangements often covered hardware while clients had to find and pay for installers; that gap sometimes left equipment unused or improperly mounted.
To keep the work local and ensure safe installation to applicable standards, the Peguis program is using tradespeople from Chief Peguis Construction L.P. along with the health centre’s maintenance staff to perform professional installations.
Eligible members begin the process by obtaining a prescription or written recommendation from an NIHB-recognized prescriber (for example, a physician or nurse practitioner). After NIHB approval and any required prior-approval steps, the Peguis Health Centre will arrange for a certified installer to complete the work without an out-of-pocket charge to the member.
