Medical insurance in Canada?

Just to re-assure our American friends.

No one in any type of medical emergency care situation, in Canada, will EVER demand payment, before you are treated.

Rest assured that your CARE comes first here in Canada, the bills can be dealt with, later.

If you are unable to speak, or unconscious , you are going to be triaged, and treatment started, right away.

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.

2gypsies wrote:
Just stay healthy and drive slowly. :) Remember, Alaska itself is part of the U.S. so you're covered.

So the op would likely need two travel ins policies, one for the trip up through Canada and another for the trip home through Canada. Weekly policies are abundant and cheap so dont leave home without them.

Just stay healthy and drive slowly. :) Remember, Alaska itself is part of the U.S. so you're covered.

You can purchase International Travelers Insurance fairly inexpensively. Are you a member of FMCA? They offer a deal to their membership (Marcus - are you listening???) thru Global Underwriters/United States Fire Insurance Company. No-cost coverage for something like the 1st 24 or 48 hours as long as you notify them prior to travelling out-of-country. You then purchase various plan levels if you will be there longer, which is what we did since my DW is covered by Medicare. Just ran a quick quote and it would be about $37 a person for a week. ST

Also know that in northern BC or remote areas of Yukon, if you need an emergency ambulance, it is possible that vehicle will be a helicopter.

Fixed wing aircraft are often used to transport emergency cases from a community with an airstrip to a community where appropriate care can be provided.

In an extreme case, a patient may be transported by air from Whitehorse to Vancouver for treatment.

Therefore, "ambulance" charges can be high in some instances.

I would call Tri-Care and talk to a rep. In 2012 while traveling to Alaska I developed a severe sore throat and visited a clinic mostly to make sure it was not strep! Anyhow, I had to pay the bill, when I got home I filed with Tricare and they did reemburse me about 40%.

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.

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

http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdf

When does Medicare cover health care services in a
foreign 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.

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