Care-First, In Plain Language
New system, new vocabulary. Here’s what the terms you’ll hear from your insurer, doctor or therapist mean.
Care-First
- Care-First
- Alberta’s auto insurance system for collisions on or after January 1, 2027. People injured in a collision claim care and benefits through their own insurer, whoever caused it.
- Program of Care
- Pre-approved, evidence-based treatment for common collision injuries such as neck, shoulder, mid back, chest wall and lower back injuries and concussion. It lasts until you recover or until 12 weeks are up, whichever comes first, and needs no insurer approval.
- Care and treatment request
- Also called customized treatment. A treatment plan that a health care practitioner sends to your insurer for approval. Mental health care is approved this way, and a request can be sent at any point in your recovery.
- Case manager
- The person at your insurer who coordinates your benefits and recovery. Many adjusters are training into this role.
- Care-First medical assessment
- An independent review of your recovery by a practitioner who isn’t treating you. Insurers use it to support decisions about benefits and treatment.
- Evidence-based care
- Treatment grounded in current research and aimed at recovery you can measure. Care-First requires it.
- Outcome measures
- Short, standard questionnaires that track symptoms over time, so you, your therapist and your insurer can see progress.
- Alberta Automobile Care-First Tribunal
- Where you can dispute an insurer’s decision about your benefits or treatment, instead of going to court.
- Health Care Practitioner Registry
- A voluntary provincial list that helps people injured in collisions find clinics. For now it lists clinics offering the Program of Care or daily living assistance assessments.
- CF-1
- The Application for Care-First Benefits. You send it to your insurer to start a claim.
- CF-MH-1, CF-MH-2 and CF-MH-3
- The Care-First mental health forms: the initial assessment and care and treatment request, the progress report, and the concluding report. The first comes from a physician, psychologist or registered clinical social worker. Your treating therapist sends the other two.
- Income replacement benefit
- Under Care-First, 90 percent of your net income up to a yearly maximum that is adjusted each year, potentially payable until age 65.
- Permanent impairment benefit
- A one-time payment for lasting injuries. It serves a purpose similar to pain and suffering damages in court.
Current system
- Section B
- The accident benefits in every Alberta auto policy for collisions before January 1, 2027, including medical and rehabilitation benefits of up to $50,000 within two years.
- Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols
- Under the current system, pre-approved treatment for sprains, strains and whiplash injuries, usually 10 to 21 visits depending on severity.
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