RAMQ Exemption Form 3657: Documents Needed for a Rate Reduction

Form 3657 is the application that CHSLD residents use to request a reduced monthly room-and-board contribution from RAMQ. The form itself is straightforward — the difficulty is in the documentation package behind it. RAMQ requires a comprehensive financial disclosure going back 12 months, and missing even one statement can delay the decision or result in a higher assessed rate.

The Document Checklist

Identification and legal authority:

• Valid Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ card)
• Social Insurance Number
• Homologated protection mandate or tutorship judgment, if someone else is filing on the resident's behalf

Income documentation:

• Most recent federal (T1) and provincial (TP-1) tax returns
• OAS and GIS payment statements from Service Canada
• QPP payment statements from Retraite Québec
• Private pension slips (T4A, Relevé 2)
• RRIF or annuity payment statements

The 12-month financial statements:

• All chequing and savings account statements (every bank, every account)
• All investment account statements (non-registered, TFSA)
• RRSP and RRIF statements showing balances and withdrawals
• Credit card statements (RAMQ looks for large cash advances)
• GIC certificates and term deposit confirmations

Asset declarations:

• Municipal property tax assessment for the principal residence
• Vehicle registration and approximate market value
• Deeds or valuations for any secondary real property (rental units, cottages)
• Life insurance policies with cash surrender values

Spousal documentation (if applicable):

• All of the above for the non-accommodated spouse
• Proof of the spouse's current housing costs (rent receipts or mortgage statements)

Common Filing Mistakes

Missing accounts. Families sometimes forget about dormant savings accounts, old TFSAs, or investment accounts at a different institution. RAMQ cross-references with CRA data — undisclosed accounts can trigger a reassessment and a retroactive bill.

Incomplete 12-month coverage. The statements must cover 12 consecutive months before the admission date with no gaps. If you bank online and can't access statements older than 90 days, request them from the bank well before the filing deadline.

Not documenting the spousal residence. If a spouse continues living in the family home, the principal residence exclusion (up to $389,677) only applies when you provide the municipal assessment proving they still live there. Without this documentation, RAMQ may count the home's equity as a non-exempt asset.

Filing late. There's no formal deadline for Form 3657, but the rate reduction applies from the date of filing — not retroactively to admission. Every month you delay is a month at the maximum rate.

Form 3807 for Intermediate and Family-Type Resources

Residents of intermediate resources (RIs) and family-type resources (RTFs) use Form 3807 instead. The documentation requirements are identical; only the rate structure differs. RI maximum rates cap at $1,481.40/month and RTF rates at $1,110.00/month for residents aged 65 and older.

What Happens After Filing

RAMQ reviews the submission and issues a "notice of decision" stating the calculated monthly contribution. If you disagree with the result — because RAMQ misclassified an asset, missed a deduction, or applied the wrong spousal status — you have 30 days from receiving the notice to request a formal review. If the review doesn't resolve it, a further appeal to the Tribunal administratif du Québec is available within 60 days.

Our Quebec Long-Term Care Costs & Subsidies Guide includes a document-preparation worksheet organized by form section, so you can track which statements you've gathered and spot gaps before filing.

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