Medical insurance through Canada

garyhaupt wrote:
Now I understand why folks from the lower 48 drive like demons, not stopping to sniff the dandelions in BC and or Alberta. No health insurance. Drive really fast..make sure no time to have things go bad.

Gary Haupt

I beg to differ here. I just came from Michigan to Ontario yesterday and find that speed limits mean nothing here. I have not seen a police car since getting here. I make this trip a couple times a year so this is not a new experience. That explains why the Canadian license plates don't obey our Michigan speed limits either.

Medicare does not have any foreign coverage. If you have a med-sup you may have it. Plans A& B do not have any foreign coverage. Since I am in Canada at the moment I can't go to my desk and look up the details on each plan. I usually sell plan F or a High Ded F for most of my clients.

From experience, unless you have a major problem don't go to the hospital it could cost $1000 just to get investigated.

Most large towns have walk-in clinics, when we needed attention in 2014 it only cost $140 including medicine.

If you are nervous about it you can get visitor insurance see:

http://www.visitorsinsurance.ca/#/

Trevor

Even Canadians must pay for ambulances within Canada. At least in British Columbia. Emergency air evacs, though, are covered within this province. Just not the ambulance that gets you to the airport, and then the hospital.

Now I understand why folks from the lower 48 drive like demons, not stopping to sniff the dandelions in BC and or Alberta. No health insurance. Drive really fast..make sure no time to have things go bad.

Gary Haupt

Murphsmom wrote:
And you need to remember that regular Medicare does not cover you in.Canada. You need the supplement in order to have coverage out of the country. My cousin's husband found that out the hard way when he broke his leg in Montreal.

Medicare does indeed cover certain instances when in a foreign country and Canada is considered a foreign country. :)

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/travel-need-health-care-outside-us.html

As long as you don't need an ambulance while travelling in northern B.C. or Yukon - where ambulances are usually medical flights. Very costly. If they need to medevac you to Vancouver from Whitehorse, it really adds up.

Be sure your coverage pays for ambulance.

I know in BC at least, drop in clinics are in a lot of malls. Usually about a 20 min wait.

If you do decide to visit without insurance and have an emergency, if you can, go to a clinic rather than the ER.
An American family member needed some attention and was told that the fee at the ER was $800 (Can) plus whatever the doctor's fee was, plus of course any drugs, bandages and kleenex!
Instead she went to a clinic and the TOTAL fee was $75!
Of course, if your right hand is hanging by a sinew, then maybe the ER might be better.

And you need to remember that regular Medicare does not cover you in.Canada. You need the supplement in order to have coverage out of the country. My cousin's husband found that out the hard way when he broke his leg in Montreal.