What have you done for medical insurance while traveling in Canada? I am retired military and have Tricare and closing in on Medicare. From what I understand neither are accepted in Canada.

I used to work in a doctor's office in BC. We could not bill US insurance companies directly. We would bill the patient and they would get reimbursed by their insurance company.When we travel in the US we are covered by 1 our Visa card has travel insurance attached to it, 2 our Extended health benefits have travel insurance.We have never in years of international and North American travel had to use our travel insurance, but we would not leave home without it.

Tothill wrote:I used to work in a doctor's office in BC. We could not bill US insurance companies directly. We would bill the patient and they would get reimbursed by their insurance company.When we travel in the US we are covered by 1 our Visa card has travel insurance attached to it, 2 our Extended health benefits have travel insurance.We have never in years of international and North American travel had to use our travel insurance, but we would not leave home without it.Count yourself lucky. Three years ago, on my way back to BC after a 6 month sojourn, in Lincoln City Oregon, I was hit with a form of seafood poison from fresh oysters eaten in Brookings. A full night spent staggering from the bed to the toilet left me unable to even stand, at 6am. Partner Sharon had to drive RV and toad, in the dark, find hospital..and there I was treated. To the tune of $2,500, for which we pad $800.00 upfront money and the rest was billed to my insurance carrier. Yes, we were fully re-reimbursed for the $800.00.Gary Haupt

http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdfWhen does Medicare cover health care services in aforeign hospital?There are three situations when Medicare may pay for certain types of health care services you get in a foreign hospital (a hospital outside the U.S.):1. You’re in the U.S. when you have a medical emergency, and the foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your illness or injury.2. You’re traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another state when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your illness or injury. Medicare determines what qualifies as “without unreasonable delay” on a case-by-case basis.3. You live in the U.S. and the foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition, regardless of whether it’s an emergency.Remember, in these situations, Medicare will pay only for the Medicare-covered services you get in a foreign hospital.

Doesn't answer your Tri care question exactly but maybe closehttp://www.tricare.mil/GettingCare/Traveling.aspx

We had a motorcycle crash back in 2001 in Manitoba whereas my DW spent 17 days in the hospital 12 of which in ICU. Bill came to just under $11000 total except for the ambulance @$500 each. I rode with DW, but two separate charges. Tri-Care paid all. She suffered six shattered ribs and left collar bone while I escaped with a destroyed right rotator cuff. Freak gust of wind blew us into the woods. I wasn't speeding, but 55mph in a 65zone. Had 10K passenger insurance, but Nat'l General (GMAC) refused to pay it. Spouses rode with no coverage. Never told that while paying the rate for over 12 years.

Medical insurance in Canada? | Good Sam Community

21 Replies

daveB110
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
In 1974 I was a hospital patient trying to recover from Back problems. A fellow patient in our ward was an American with with as yet no diagnoses, he said. With no medical insurance, he stayed at least a few days when the charge was to be about 700 dollars per day.

We had a family member flown from our town, only a short distance, maybe fifty miles, no charge except for the two ground ambulance charges.
Paoli
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
Actually there is a small charge for airplane ambulance in British Columbia. It's not much, but I paid around 50 dollars for a 800 km flight. This was 10 years ago. Maybe things have changed.
daveB110
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
As a resident of British Columbia, one of Canada's ten provinces, when we leave to travel Canada we make sure we have "out of Province" travel health coverage. Remembering the young child with heart problems who needed air evacuation from Yukon to Vancouver a few years ago, and whose parents were presented with the air ambulance bill in the thousands, well...our system is not so universal as we thought. Air ambulance in B.C, for residents is free, although the surface ambulance costs are not. Hospital stays are covered for us with up to date status. In each hospital here, there can be found the cost for a stay without it, which will shock the average Canadian who has never seen it, or has never heard what a stay in a hospital in a comparable facility south of our border.
JackD
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Tothill wrote:
And no 'Everybody is covered by our health care system

I meant to say''all Canadians are covered.
loggenrock
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Funny - this is a good thread - everyone seems to be sharing/getting good info - EXCEPT the OP! Hasn't come back in since the original posting almost 2 weeks ago! Maybe they didn't like the answers???!!! Sue's comment re: medivac is valid. In addition to health insurance, I consider it worthwhile to carry a medical evacuation policy. Covers stuff like helicopters and fixed-wing air ambulances. GS has their version - Travel Assist, I believe. My new CoachNet policy now includes such coverage, too, so won't need to carry Travel Assist for the extra $100/year. We often need to use helicopters to move patients here in northern New England, too. ST
Tothill
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
JackD wrote:
In this case the old system of "information printed on paper" is preferred, in a emergency medical situation

Even that is fading away rapidely.
Most provinces have introduced their version of (Electronic Medical Record)where all medical records are made available to doctors in case of emergency. (medical history, prescription drugs, special allergies,scan and XRays, past lab tests reports,and +++) all available on line in a matter of seconds.
And there no need for specific insurance info in Canada. Everybody is covered by our health care system.

EMR data is not universal in Canada and in case of emergency not always available, onsite. The side of a road, at a campground with no wifi, on a beach, at a boat or fly in fishing camp. All places where we have had to access emergency medical care.

Heck in BC there are many areas without cell coverage, those mountains get in the way of signals.

And no 'Everybody is covered by our health care system', everybody is not covered by our health care system in all jurisdictions. Most provinces have reciprocal agreements for most basic health care, but not everything is covered.

Visitors from other countries do need travel insurance. In an emergency they will be treated (in most situations) and billed later, but at my local BC hospital Emergency department there is a price list of services for those with out insurance.
JackD
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
In this case the old system of "information printed on paper" is preferred, in a emergency medical situation

Even that is fading away rapidely.
Most provinces have introduced their version of (Electronic Medical Record)where all medical records are made available to doctors in case of emergency. (medical history, prescription drugs, special allergies,scan and XRays, past lab tests reports,and +++) all available on line in a matter of seconds.
And there no need for specific insurance info in Canada. Everybody is covered by our health care system.
jimbunting
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
retrate:

The answer is a qualified "maybe ". Canada is a huge country, as you know, and local services have equipment that varies from Province to Province. As has been said....... a USB stick is not that helpful, as there are many different system protocols that would reject it. In this case the old system of " information printed on paper " is preferred, in a emergency medical situation.

Secondly, I fully concur with the advice to have a up to date list of EACH prescription med that you take, with you when you travel. I have had to resort to trying to match up a handful of individual pills, to the colour photos in the Compendium of Pharmacy drugs, to identify them, at the hospital, because the spouse of our unconscious patient didn't know what he was taking, and the actual drugs were not in the original bottles, with labels.

My original message was that visitors to Canada should be re-assured that medical treatment will never be conditional on payment, up front. Here in Ontario, all emergency Ambulance services are public, and we don't have any way of accepting payment on the spot. All billing is done by the Provincial Ministry of Health, for both EMS services, on land or by air, or for hospital or Doctor services. A patient is a patient, regardless of where they call home.

A final point, costs for care here in Canada, are based on a " No Profit " model, so actual prices for medical care will be lower than in the USA, for the same type of care or treatment.

Jim B.

Toronto.
Tothill
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
retraite wrote:
jimbunting wrote:
Now a word from my past experience as a Ambulance Officer, here in Toronto. If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, WEAR IT, don't keep it in your pocket, wallet or purse, or around your ankle, under your winter boot. That happens, trust me, I have seen it.

Jim B.

Jim,

Just curious. Can Canadian Amublance Officers read a USB key when "on a call"?

When we travel, DW and I both wear - on our wrist - a bracelet (see here) that has all history, meds, contact info, insurance info, etc., etc., etc. that is a USB key. The bracelet does display the universally recognized EMS logo (at least it's recognized by EMTs). It does require that the EMT put it in a computer to read it - but, I think most EMT responding vehicles have one on board.

'Tis just peace of mind for us should there be something untoward happen.

We do go so far as to ask our primary care for a copy of our annual EKG, scan it, and put it on the USB key. In short, everything a medical provider might need to know about either of us is all there. It does take a bit of work to load it and keep it up to date, but, again, it's just for peace of mind.

Cheers.

A USB stick is not helpful in an emergency. It may be helpful once you get to a medical facility, but only if their technology protocols would allow a 'strange' USB drive to be inserted into their infrastructure.

If you are on prescription medication make sure you each carry a up to date list of your prescriptions, dosage and what it is for (some medication can be used to treat a variety of problems). Not only your own but your spouses too.

On more than one occasion I have hear a wife say he takes his heart pill in the morning and one for his stomach with each meal.
retraite
Explorer
Mar 28, 2014
jimbunting wrote:
Now a word from my past experience as a Ambulance Officer, here in Toronto. If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, WEAR IT, don't keep it in your pocket, wallet or purse, or around your ankle, under your winter boot. That happens, trust me, I have seen it.

Jim B.

Jim,

Just curious. Can Canadian Amublance Officers read a USB key when "on a call"?

When we travel, DW and I both wear - on our wrist - a bracelet (see here) that has all history, meds, contact info, insurance info, etc., etc., etc. that is a USB key. The bracelet does display the universally recognized EMS logo (at least it's recognized by EMTs). It does require that the EMT put it in a computer to read it - but, I think most EMT responding vehicles have one on board.

'Tis just peace of mind for us should there be something untoward happen.

We do go so far as to ask our primary care for a copy of our annual EKG, scan it, and put it on the USB key. In short, everything a medical provider might need to know about either of us is all there. It does take a bit of work to load it and keep it up to date, but, again, it's just for peace of mind.

Cheers.