Attn Canadian snowbirds

The fact is you are still using your provincial health care system if you require the use of the snowbird insurance you have purchased.
The insurance provider, in my case RBC Insurance will go after every penny they can before using their premiums collected.
I suffered and injury 2 years ago and they got $2500 from my retirees Blue cross plan, which happens to be my lifetime max for out of country medical expenses and then they claim from the province up to what the province deems the equivalent expense for treatment if the injury took place at home. They then come to an agreement with the service provider on the percentage of the bill they are willing to pay. When I arrived back in Texas last year I had a bill from a collection agency for the percentage that wasn't paid by RBC. This is just an attempt to collect more money. After several phone calls to RBC, collection agency and a visit to the billing department at the hospital I was assured that the bill collector notice would be taken care of by them. All is good now.

Unless I am reading this wrong the final phase, tracking Canadian citizens has not yet been implemented:

"Federal officials have said work continues on the final phases, though no revised dates have been disclosed. The U.S. has legislative authority to proceed, but Canada would need to pass a bill."

Given the busy agenda for the newly elected Canadian government and the distaste in Ottawa for initiatives from the former regime this program may slide to the back burner or perhaps never advance beyond where it is now.

So, until the final phase of the plan is put into place those that feel the need can "cheat" if they so desire.

I would like to add that in this day and age I think our government should be actively tracking who comes and goes across our international boundaries.